Their All-Star forward was sidelined by injury Tuesday, but their potential future All-Star forward picked an excellent time to compile the best game of his brief NBA career. After falling behind early by double digits, the Pelicans also notched one of their best team performances of the 2019-20 season.
In a key Western Conference matchup for New Orleans, rookie No. 1 draft pick Zion Williamson outquicked and overpowered Portland, finishing with a season-high 31 points on 10/17 shooting. As evidenced by his free throw trips (14), he was a handful and then some for the Trail Blazers’ interior defense, which didn’t have much success keeping him from getting to the rim.