TITLE: Williamson’s Return Can’t Halt Pelicans’ Slide; Queen Impresses, Dumars’ Son Joins Front Office
SLUG: williamson-return-pelicans-slide-queen-dumars
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New Orleans forward Zion Williamson was back in the lineup Wednesday night after sitting out eight games with a Grade 1 strain in his left hamstring, but the Pelicans still fell to the Denver Nuggets for their seventh straight defeat.
The 24-year-old logged 29 minutes, finishing plus-14 while on the floor. During the 19 minutes he rested, New Orleans was outscored by 21. Interim coach James Borrego, now 0-6 since replacing Willie Green last Saturday, said Williamson’s energy convinced the team it “has a chance every night” when he plays.
Next steps for Williamson
Williamson completed a full practice Thursday and was absent from the injury report for Friday’s game in Dallas. The club has not decided whether he will be cleared for both ends of the back-to-back, with the Atlanta Hawks visiting Smoothie King Center on Saturday.
Queen excels against Jokic
Rookie center Derik Queen continued to be a rare bright spot in the Pelicans’ 2-13 start. The No. — pick recorded 30 points on 12-of-18 shooting, nine rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks in his first meeting with three-time MVP Nikola Jokić. Borrego called the matchup an “impressive” debut, while Jokić praised Queen’s talent and said the youngster should “write his own story.”
Front-office addition surfaces
Amid scrutiny of offseason moves, a new detail emerged about the team’s basketball operations department. Multiple league sources told In The N.O. that Jordan Dumars, 34-year-old son of Hall of Famer Joe Dumars, has quietly become part of general management’s inner circle. The Pelicans confirmed he holds the title of “basketball operations consultant” and participates in strategy meetings alongside his father and senior vice president Troy Weaver.
New Orleans faces the Mavericks in Dallas on Friday before returning home to meet Atlanta, still searching for its first win under Borrego.
Source: Hoops Rumors
