Zion Williamson delivers key defensive performance in Pelicans win | Pelicans

PORTLAND, Ore. – Given the bad luck the New Orleans Pelicans have experienced as a franchise, Zion Williamson knows his team needs to have insurance.

That's why Williamson crashed into the paint in the final seconds of Friday's game between the Pelicans and the Portland Trail Blazers as Portland guard Anfernee Simons drove to the basket. Herb Jones got part of Simons' shot at the rim. Then Williamson shot down Simons' deflected attempt like it was a volleyball.

“With our luck, if I hadn't added the block, he would have thrown it up and it would have gone in,” Williamson said after New Orleans' 105-103 win at Portland. “Herb got the suspension. And it allowed me to take the second leap and get insurance.”

ZION BLOCKS IT ON BUZZER.

PELICANS WIN IN PORTLAND. pic.twitter.com/Hu11CNZCAX

– NBA (@NBA) October 26, 2024

If Williamson believes the pelicans are being bitten by snakes, it's easy to see why. Williamson was on the verge of helping the Pelicans overtake the Los Angeles Lakers in the play-in tournament last spring when a hamstring injury ended his season. Then point guard Dejounte Murray suffered a fractured left hand in the regular-season opener at New Orleans on Wednesday that likely will keep him out until December.

“It’s tough,” Williamson said. “Bad luck. We've already spoken to (him). We told him we'll stop it for him.”

The Pelicans are 2-0 after rallying from a 16-point deficit to beat the Trail Blazers on Friday. Sophomore guard Jordan Hawkins scored 15 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter, and Brandon Ingram hit a go-ahead shot with 4.9 seconds left.

GREAT PLAYER BRANDON INGRAM!!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/b4u5awjwMF

– New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) October 26, 2024

The defensive actions of Jones and Williamson in the final sequence of the game ensured that New Orleans accomplished something it had failed to do last season: win a game in which it trailed early in the fourth quarter.

“1-0 under control,” said Pelicans coach Willie Green. “This is great for us.”

To get within striking distance, the Pelicans needed Hawkins to catch fire in the second half. Hawkins finished with 24 points on 8 of 12 shooting. He made five of the six shots he attempted in the fourth quarter.

“I expect something like that from myself,” Hawkins said. “I won't get too involved in it. There's still a long season ahead. I have many more games. I'm not going to jump off the wall because I had a good game. I expect myself to do that. I worked too hard in the summer.”

Williamson started the game slowly, but still managed 16 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists and three blocks. The Pelicans forward battled an illness earlier this week that prevented him from playing against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday.

“It felt like I had a delay,” Williamson said. “I saw possibilities. But it felt like I was one step slow and there was a delay in my mind. The second half was really about rethinking the game. Selection and… Hawk(ins) said to me, 'The way they're guarding you, I'll be ready.' I found him and he took them down.”

Last season, the Trail Blazers were the worst team in the Western Conference. They are the type of team the Pelicans need to beat if New Orleans is serious about earning a top-six finish in the West that would allow it to make the playoffs without the play-in tournament having to go through it again.

Williamson said he was proud of how his team found a way to win on Friday despite some inefficient shooting.

“When we look back at the game plan, it won’t say whether my offense was great or not. It remains to be seen whether we won the game,” said Williamson. “If we can win games like this where my offense was terrible, then I’ll say, I think that’s important for us in the long run.”