Pelicans quickly see signs of hope with Zion Williamson back

Zion Williamson returned Wednesday night after an eight-game absence, and the Pelicans looked more like themselves for the first time in a week.

It still wasn’t enough. New Orleans dropped its seventh straight with a 125–118 loss to the Nuggets.

Williamson played 29 minutes in his first game back from a Grade 1 left hamstring strain. He finished a plus-14. The Pelicans were outscored by 21 in the 19 minutes he sat.

“He got us off to a really good start,” head coach James Borrego told reporters. “His energy and spirit are really important for the team, the city and the organization. We feel like we have a shot every night when he’s on the floor. We didn’t drop the sword tonight, and that’s his spirit.”

Borrego hasn’t posted a win since taking over for Willie Green last Saturday, but he liked what he saw from his star forward.

Williamson practiced fully on Thursday and is not on the injury report for Friday’s game in Dallas, per William Guillory of The Athletic.

The Pelicans play again Saturday at home against Atlanta, and it remains unclear whether Williamson will be cleared for both ends of the back-to-back coming off his latest hamstring issue.