The New Orleans Pelicans(0-2) face off against the Oklahoma City Thunder(2-0) Saturday afternoon for the third game of the Western Conference playoffs.
New Orleans only has one player on their injury report. However, this player is their star, Zion Williamson. He was averaging 22.5 points per game in the regular season and his absence has hit them hard. Conversely, Oklahoma City has one player out for the season. However, his absence should not have an impact on the team.
Can the Thunder bring the series to 3-0, or will the Pelicans fight back to get on the board?
Pelicans vs. Thunder Injury Report
Pelicans
| Players | Injury | Status |
| Zion Williamson | Hamstring | Out |
The New Orleans Pelicans have a good roster, but losing Williamson is a hard hit. He led them in points in the regular season and also was a big help on the boards. According to New Orleans, he won’t be reevaluated for another week or so. This means he probably will not make an appearance in this series unless they get a win today.
With the power forward out of the rotation, CJ McCollum is leading the team in scoring. He’s giving them 17.5 points per game. He is also leading them in assists and steals. This 17.5 points is not enough to replace Williamson’s typical contributions. McCollum needs to do more. Also, they need a better performance from Brandon Ingram.
Updates:
Thunder
| Players | Injury | Status |
| Olivier Sarr | Achilles | OFS |
Sarr is a deep bench player for the Thunder. His being out will not affect how they have been playing through the season. They still have a full starting five, unlike the Pelicans. This is one of the reasons they’ve been hitting New Orleans so hard.
The Thunder could make an appearance in the Finals this year if they can push back Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets. They will need Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren to remain healthy to do this.
Updates:
Thunder Proving a Point for Young Teams
OKC is the youngest team in the NBA. Right behind them is the Orlando Magic. Both of these teams have zero injuries coming into the playoffs. Furthermore, these teams have remained very healthy all season. Perhaps their age is having a significant impact on their longevity in the season. However, there are plenty of older players who remain healthy all season, too.
The Thunder are also trampling over New Orleans with their scoring. Missing Williamson has slowed NOLAs game down significantly. Without his presence, winning this series could be nearly impossible.
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Elizabeth is an avid watcher of all things sports. However, the Boston sports teams will always be her number one. Her favorite sport to watch is basketball, but she also enjoys professional wrestling, soccer, and baseball. You can find her on X @edellapiana1 to check out more content.
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