Pelicans rule out Williamson for must-win NBA play-in game

LOS ANGELES, United States -- New Orleans forward Zion Williamson has been ruled out of the must-win NBA play-in game against the Sacramento Kings with a left hamstring strain, the Pelicans said Wednesday (Thursday, Manila time.)

The Pelicans said an MRI exam on Thursday confirmed the injury, and Williamson will be reevaluated in about two weeks.

Williamson had 40 points and 11 rebounds before exiting with the game tied with 3:13 to play in Tuesday's play-in loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.

His driving basket had just knotted the score at 95-95 when he grimaced in pain and headed for the sideline, only to depart for the locker room shortly thereafter.

Williamson, the top pick in the 2019 draft whose career has been hampered by a string of injuries, was playing in the first post-season game of his career.

Although the Pelicans reached the first round of the playoffs in 2022, he missed all of the 2021-2022 campaign recovering from a broken foot.

He also missed the team's play-in game last season.

The winner of Saturday's game will advance as the eighth seed in the Western Conference and take on conference winners Oklahoma City in the first round of the playoffs.

The Pelicans won all five of their games against the Kings in the regular season, with Williamson playing in four of those contests.