Today was supposed to be another exciting matchup of the young NBA season as the New Orleans Pelicans faced off against the Boston Celtics. Instead, a cloud of uncertainty hangs over Smoothie King Center on Monday night, centering around one familiar name. Zion Williamson, who got out to an exciting start in 2025-26, is already set to miss his first game of the season, and the Pelicans’ early-season rhythm could hinge on his ability to play tonight.

The team released an official injury report on X, giving the fans some pause. Centers Karlo Matkovic (low back spasms) and Yves Missi (right ankle sprain) were both cleared to play, but Williamson’s name was unfortunately present. “Zion Williamson (Left Foot Bone Contusion) – Questionable” the report read.

The injury represents a familiar concern: any lower body issue for the Pelicans star raises alarms. For someone whose game depends almost entirely on burst, vertical jumps, and brute force around the rim, even small injuries demand careful management.

This is especially frustrating given Zion’s heavily publicized media day appearance, where he expressed a dedication to health and fitness, and his timing and decision-making had already started looking sharper.

Williamson was off to arguably his best year of his career- proving to be a double-double machine, averaging 27.0 points, 9.5 rebounds, 6.0 assists and a remarkable 4.0 steals. He was at his best per-minute production, at 27.7. It’s unknown whether his highest usage so far is the cause of the injury.

Now, despite the current diagnosis likely to be cleared in a few weeks, New Orleans risk losing the groove they’ve been trying to build.

The team knows the dangers of rushing him back after he only played 30 games last year, and has shown an approach which seems to emphasize sustainability. Tonight is a test of their new philosophy.

Head coach Willie Green has had to make changes to the lineup even before Williamson’s injury. Against the San Antonio Spurs, with their centers sidelined, the Pelicans had to bring out a lineup of Jordan Poole, Trey Murphy, Herb Jones, Zion and Saddiq Bey, leaning into small-ball.

Now, players like Jones and Murphy are going to be asked to play harder on defense while Green fins a way to keep the tempo up even without Zion’s dominant inside presence.

Boston’s retooling roster can still prove challenging, especially with Jaylen Brown and Derrick White leading the offense. Backup guard Jose Alvarado and rookie Jeremiah Fears will have to step up to help contain Boston’s trademark beyond-the-arc offense, and Jordan Poole will be looked at to generate points off penetration and kick-outs.

It’s not the usual bruising style of basketball that we expect with the Pelicans, but it could keep them competitive.

Lineup Scenarios for the New Orleans Pelicans without Zion Williamson

For tonight’s matchup head coach Willie Green started the game with Jeremiah Fears, Jordan Poole, Herb Jones, Trey Murphy, and Yves Missi, and, as of writing, have kept the game competitive at 34-32 in Boston‘s favor.

So far, veteran DeAndre Jordan and rookie Derik Queen have been leaned on to maintain size in the frontcourt, while Saddiq Bey has helped shoulder the wing minutes for Jones and Murphy.

Going forward, the Pelicans are likely to maintain this lineup when facing teams with smaller backcourts, such as Boston, whose starters include Payton Pritchard (6’1″) and Derrick White (6’4″). When facing teams with taller starters, expect Jordan Poole to move to point guard, while Bey will join Murphy and Jones on the wing. However, their playing style will be significantly different when Williamson is on the court.

Tonight’s matchup will serve as an early test of Green’s system and New Orleans’ depth: if they can keep the game competitive throughout, it will demonstrate that the team can handle absences without faltering due to Williamson‘s injury.