Stat Just Happened: Zion Williamson is dominating the According to NBA.com , that's how many points per game Zion Williamson is averaging in the paint this season. Playing with a poorly built roster, under his second coach (who has since been fired), at just 20 years old, Williamson put up historic numbers averaging 27.0 points on 61 percent shooting. He has a good enough handle to blow by defenders who press up on him. Latest on New Orleans Pelicans power forward Zion Williamson including news, stats, videos, highlights and more on ESPN Two, just because the regular season didnt go the way we wanted it to go or other people wanted it to go, doesnt mean we werent developing grit and tough habits and good things. John Schuhmann is a senior stats analyst for NBA.com. Only Giannis Antetokounmpo and Zion Williamson are taking more shots in the restricted area, where James is still shooting 69 percent. WebZion Williamson is an obvious choice here after playing in only 29 games. And he's getting better at reading defences. David Griffin and Pelicans management put players such as Steven Adams and Eric Bledsoe around Zion this year, which does not create a lot of spacing. Washington, but he quickly pivoted and curled off a cross-screen from Bismack Biyombo, who had slipped out of a ball-screen for Hayward . The experience and execution of Chris Paul (who has shot 54% on 69 clutch shots) has been huge, but Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is also 24-for-36 (67%) with the score within five in the last five. While Ingrams two-month absence due to a toe injury has been the main cause of his rocky season, there have been some issues even when he does take the court. As the game goes on, there is less off-the-ball movement and more isolation. The truth is, his ceiling is high and his bag is deep, but until NBA defenses find a way to limit him in the paint, we wont see him digging too deeply. Rockets guard struggling to hit jumpers as we dig into 5 noteworthy stats, Plus, a look at zone defense and Al Horford's play without Joel Embiid, Clippers star in midst of worst shooting season as we dig into 5 noteworthy stats. You can e-mail himhere, findhis archive hereandfollow him on Twitter. He put those guys on his back and said, Im going to make sure were not losing tonight. It doesn't help that Williamson is lightning quick. They scored at least 120 points in 16 of their 36 games and were held under 100 just once. If his three-point shooting (30.4 percent for Boulogne-Levallois in France's Pro A league) continues to lag, the Pistons may not get the extra breathing room they want for their offense. I stood over that shot [and thought], I dont know where this ball is going to go. That led to stat lines like 37 points, 15 rebounds, and 8 assist even with his team shooting an abysmal 18 percent from 3. Zion Williamson You expect it to be tough, coach Erik Spoelstra said. WebZion Williamson Stats and news - NBA stats and news on New Orleans Pelicans Forward Zion Williamson The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. Settle the offense down some.. Against the Jazz Tuesday, and in other games this season, Zion and the Pelicans fade and get away from what works. Donovan Mitchell had 28 and some fantastic kick-out assists back to the top of the key, Gobert added 13 points and 18 rebounds, while Jordan Clarkson (18 points) and Joe Ingles (15) provided a spark off the bench. What makes Williamson unique in those situations is well, a number of things. Here are the 3-point numbers for everyone not named McCollum or Murphy since Jan. 1: Lately, its been tough to believe anyone on this list will knock down a spot-up shot when the ball finds them on the perimeter. COAST 2 COAST @BolBol pic.twitter.com/Nt7w0QqsnQ, Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) January 20, 2021. Hes a little more of a jump-shooter now than he was the last two seasons. Fox is a clutch player, but he wasnt on this day, he had his worst game of the series. But all of his minutes at the five on Wednesday were played alongside four guards. Zion Williamson's long-term career Where does Ja Morant have to improve his game? Nekias Duncan of Basketball News put it best: Williamson plays with the speed and dexterity of a Russell Westbrook and the power of a Giannis Antetokounmpo. If not, Davis only played 4% of his minutes at power forward last season. The Thunders fortunes in close games has them in seventh place in the West. Steph Curry you filthy animal lol he just packed up a very good team in a very tough building , Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) April 30, 2023, Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) April 30, 2023, Patrick Beverley (@patbev21) April 30, 2023, DeMar DeRozan (@DeMar_DeRozan) April 30, 2023, Kristaps Porzingis (@kporzee) April 30, 2023, Sabrina Ionescu (@sabrina_i20) April 30, 2023, Monte Morris (@BigGameTae) April 30, 2023, Jamal Crawford (@JCrossover) April 30, 2023, Dennis Smith Jr. (@Dennis1SmithJr) April 30, 2023, This is me after saying Sacramento Kings could beat Golden State. When McCollum plays without any other point guards, the Pels are outscored by 2.7 points per 100 possessions. The Charlotte Hornets (12-13) and Cleveland Cavaliers (9-10) have been better than that in clutch games. His 75.1% shooting in the restricted area is the best mark among 36 players with at least 200 restricted-area attempts. Zion Williamson nearing Shaquille O'Neal's record, posts another They continue to look nothing like a team that was only three games above .500 when they reached April and needed to win a play-in game just to get the final postseason berth in the East. Hes also shooting 43 percent on midrange Then he played 6:37 at center in the fourth quarter, when he scored 17 of his 22 points. He WebZion Williamson has shot 60.8% (285/469) overall and 36.8% (7/19) from three in 29 games this season. (They were outscored, 26-21, with Williamson at the four.) The Pelicans rank fifth in both pace (103.3 possessions per 48 minutes) and fast break points per game (16.4). His crossovermakes him a tough cover in space because of how quickly he takes advantage of the smallest of openings. NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLCs Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network, *Translations are limited to select pages, Friday's notebook: Russell Westbrook's outside shooting woes, Friday's notebook: Heat picking up quality wins, 10 Numbers to Know from the 2019-20 season thus far, Friday's notebook: Kawhi Leonard struggling to finish at basket, Series preview: What to expect in Warriors-Lakers, 5 takeaways from Warriors' Game 7 victory, 5 takeaways from Heat's Game 1 win over Knicks, Curry sets Game 7 record with 50 points vs. Kings, Brooks fined $25K for violating interview rules, all of his minutes at the five on Wednesday, alongside DeMarcus Cousins and Emeka Okafor, fifth in the league with 13.2 points in the paint per game, the best mark among 36 players with at least 200 restricted-area attempts, ranks 43rd among 47 players with at least 100 mid-range attempts, games that were within five points in the last five minutes, No team has played more clutch games than the Oklahoma City Thunder. Since then, the Pelicans are 26th in offensive rating, 14th in points in the paint and have been held under 100 points more times (six) than theyve reached 120 (five). 1 overall pick in 2019, is averaging 27.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists, but In fact, if you counted only games that werent within five points in the last five minutes, the Mavs would have the best record in the West. Outside of his sometimes inconsistent outside shot, Luka's offensive game is near-perfect. Including his preseason minutes, New Orleans is a plus-52 in 54:03 with Williamson at center. This is where Alvarados absence (hes missed the last seven games with a stress reaction in his right tibia) hurts more than some suspect. His passing chops caught my eye early in his rookie season and he's shown real signs of improvement this season. Utah exploited Zion for chunks of the game by putting him in motion and making him read and move on defense. Will Guillory is a staff writer for The Athletic, covering the New Orleans Pelicans. All of this is to say:Williamson a walking mismatch. NBA Season Preview: Will Ja Morant become the Memphis Grizzlies first superstar? But his work in the paint, along with the seventh highest free throw rate (52 attempts per 100 shots from the field) among those 251 players, has Williamson ranking eighth in scoring at 26.4 points per game. To get past the Heat, the Knicks will need something closer to All-Star Randle. 1, Kia Rookie Ladder: Haliburton climbs to No. New Orleans Pelicans news fromFanSided Daily, 5 bold predictions for Cowboys against Patriots, Bills zoom into AFCs drivers seat, Chiefs reach crisis and more. https://twitter.com/ballysportsno/status/1380707921609252865?s=21. Golden State's star sharpshooter enjoys another historic moment, which also set his playoff career high. The Pelicans are going to ask a lot of Williamson and he's not going to have the workload of your average 19-year-old NBA rookie. Outside of his sometimes inconsistent outside shot, Luka's offensive game is near-perfect. According to NBA.com , 76.2 percent of the field goals he made as a rookie were assisted. The 6-foot-7 Williamson, in his second season out of Duke after becoming the No. Remember, he missed the entire 2021-2022 season. Jakob Poeltl picked up Ball and DeRozan was forced to match up with Williamson trailing the play. His crossovermakes him a tough cover in space because of how quickly he takes advantage of the smallest of openings. Zion Williamson Stats, News, Bio | ESPN The Lakers win in Brooklyn on Thursday was the first game that either JaVale McGee (who was out with an illness) or Dwight Howard has missed this season, and the two centers have combined to average a little more than 37 minutes per game. He's slightly undersized to play power forward or centre at 6-foot-6, but he has the size to power his way through bigger defenders when he gets intothe paint. The Pelicans were more efficient from the 3-point line when Williamson was healthy early in the season. The goal for the Pelicans offense in regard to the 20-year-old is the same as it was last season: Get him into the paint with enough runway for him to launch himself toward the rim, where he combines a deft touch with an uncanny ability to slice his wide body through however many defenders might be there (or just bounce off them). 1 when they toppled Milwaukee in the first round. With the increase in minutes at the four, Davis has seen an increase in the percentage of his shots that have come from outside the paint. Their win in Boston on Monday began a stretch where the Pels are playing 12 of 14 games against the Eastern Conference. After getting traded to New Orleans, McCollumembraced the opportunity to show he could be more than just the single-minded scorer he was in Portland. While the Pelicans lack of spacing and dearth of supplementary scoring options have played a large part in the offenses stagnation, the ball getting stuck with McCollum (and Ingram) has also hurt. The Warriors need a Klay Thompson game or two. While ONeals game was mostly back to basket and waiting for others to set him up, Williamson is able to carve his own way into the lane. Shooting just 41.9 percent from the field entering the game against New Orleans, Mitchell has began to turn the corner when it comes to his scoring efficiency early in the 2021 season. It's worth noting that Williamson was the He took 18 threes. Zion Williamson Remember, he missed the entire 2021-2022 season. Zion Jimmy Butler is a master at drawing fouls. Williamson's body control is incredible. Zion Williamson | New Orleans Pelicans | NBA.com Follow William on Twitter @WillGuillory. In those situations, he is more of a complementary ballhandler who spaces the floor and makes plays in transition. The Pelicans complete a three-game homestand with a couple of tough opponents this weekend. The Hornets are 16-6 in games that were within five points in the last five minutes and 8-16 otherwise. Williamson took DeRozan into the paint and Ball lofted a lob pass over the helpless defender. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER. The Knicks won the last three of those but have work to do if theyre going to take this one. In that same game, we also saw a glimpse of how good defense forces Williamson to get deeper into his bag, allowing everyone else to see how special he really is. Zion Williamson is averaging 26.5 points on 61.7% shooting this season. Recently, Giannis Antetokounmpos Finals MVP has done great work for the Anti-Bag Twitter campaign. We need to appreciate Zion Williamsons commitment to efficiency. According to NBA.com , that's how many points per game Zion Williamson is averaging in the paint this season. The man is putting up historic stats. The Kings are still learning. Williamson started alongside Derrick Favors and, through the first three quarters, he had played 9:50 at power forward and just 1:51 at center. Code 911 | Kitsap Sun And he once again lived up to the billing. In what looks on paper to be an even series, this is an advantage the Heat might regret squandering. Nothing worked consistently. In the 2019 Draft, in addition to Zion Williamson, the Pelicans also got Jason Hayes and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. One reason is their performance in close games. Build your customFanSided Daily email newsletter with news and analysis onNew Orleans Pelicans and all your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and more. Not only can he play through contact, but he can also absorbcontact and adjust while he's midair. Through his first 85 career games, NBA defenses have not found an answer for Zion, but that has not stopped his game from being critiqued. After shooting 6-for-11 on shots to tie or take the lead in the last minute of the fourth or OT last season, Luka Doncic is 0-for-6 this season. one of Embiid's two blocks came tonight against a barreling Zion Williamson | @wendys pic.twitter.com/qHhOzWs7it, NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) April 10, 2021. The fine results from Brooks failure to participate in team postgame media availability during the first round. Kyle Lowry scored 18 points. The bigger issue is Pelicans dont take threes third-fewest a game in the league and dont make them 32.7% shooting as a team. Warriors vs. Lakers is a fascinating series. All picks and predictions are suggestions only. The things Zion Williamson does he does as well he does VERY well. 1, Defensive Player Ladder: Turner climbs to No. It gives CJ more of a balance being on the floor where he doesnt have to have the ball in his hands and initiate every time, Green said. 3P%:3-Point Field Goal Percentage; 3PT:3-Point Field Goals Made-Attempted; AST:Assists; Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Flipboard (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Durant, Lillard, NBA Twitter react to Curry dropping 50 in Game 7, NBA playoffs first round results, schedule, times and where to watch, There will be a Game 7 Monk, Fox run Kings past Warriors for win, Knicks Julius Randle out for Game 1 vs. Miami Heat, Three things to watch: Miami Heat renew rivalry with New York Knicks, Butler leads Heat to Game 1 win on road against shorthanded Knicks, step-back three in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA finals. That stretch continues with a back-to-back at home, where the Pels are hosting the Orlando on Thursday (8 ET, League Pass) and Atlanta on Friday (9 ET, League Pass). With Williamson rarely looking to score outside of the paint he's taken a grand total of eight shots from midrange and 24shots from 3-point range this season you'd think giving him space would be the easiest way to contain him. Check out the podcast, where Allen also discusses social justice, his mindset as a player, and much more. Zion He's too big and strong for most guards and too quick and athletic for mostbigs. 17, and Marcia Chapman, 31, whose To be clear, Williamsons paint dominance is comparable to Shaquille ONeals, but they are achieved in different ways. That went about as well as you think it did. With their loss to the Clippers on Tuesday (in which they led by one with less than three minutes to go), the Mavs are 10-13 in games that were within five points in the last five minutes. Green has shot 44% from beyond the arc with Davis at the four and just 25% with Davis at the five. The Pelicans rank third among teams at 6.2 per game, and the more their guards put defenses on their heels, the more opportunities Williamson will have to do damage on the move. That starts with shooting Zion made a jump hook in the third quarter of this game that was his first made basket outside the paint this season, reports Andrew He reinjured his ankle in Game 5 against Cleveland after missing the final five games of the regular season and hadnt done much since the Knicks returned to practice. With new Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers sitting courtside, Love fired three long passes for scores, with Butlers basket on the last one capping the run and giving the Heat a 74-66 lead. Malik Monk was 4-of-14. Harrison Barnes is a free agent and may be priced out of what the Kings want to spend. Add that number to the many What-Ifs? from this season. Scott Rafferty is a Senior NBA Editor for The Sporting News. Zion Williamson | Duke | PF | 6-7 but his offense outside the paint is where he can most improve as a prospect. 2021 Zion Williamson: 20-1972007 Dwight Howard: 21-631993 Shaquille O'Neal: 21-248, Andrew Lopez (@_Andrew_Lopez) January 20, 2021. Zion also is moving better off the ball this season. The saddest part for the Pels is McCollum has been deadly in the role the team intended for him next to Williamson and Ingram. Minimum 100 FGA in the paint & 100 FGA outside the paint. He is a New Orleans native. STEPH IS IN A LEAGUE OF HIS OWN pic.twitter.com/xUR53sB6yy, Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) April 30, 2023, Steph was elite, Kings coach Mike Brown said. Latest on New Orleans Pelicans power forward Zion Williamson including news, stats, videos, highlights and more on ESPN While hes had some exemplary moments as a point guard during his time with the Pels, he still tends to fall back on some of his bad habits. His 20.3 points in the paint per game were the most in a season since Shaquille ONeals 1999-00 MVP season.

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