The Phoenix Suns are set to face off against the New Orleans Pelicans at the Footprint Center in Arizona tonight. Both the teams are not only placed neck to neck with each other on the points chart, but they are also just above the edge of the playoffs line. With just a few more games remaining in the regular season and the Lakers standing right behind them, the winner of this matchup will go a long way in determining who proceeds to the next stage of the tournament. The Pelicans will need to rely upon their lead scorer, Zion Williamson to give them the required momentum. However, ever since he got injured, his availability has remained a matter to ponder upon.

A few hours ago, ESPN highlighted the Injury Report for the upcoming Suns-Pelicans clash on their website. According to it, Zion Williamson has been listed as ‘questionable’ in light of his finger injury. This means that the player’s availability is not guaranteed, with his current odds standing at 50/50. The news does not get any better for the team from this point. Brandon Ingram, the Pelicans’ second-highest scorer, is set to miss his ninth consecutive game, while Jose Alvardo will miss his sixth. The 23-year-old’s absence now will further diminish the already tarnished offensive lineup and reduce the odds for the Pelicans. There has been no update from the Suns about which players will not make the matchup because of injuries.

Damion Lee, the only player listed on their previous Injury Report, has not played a single game this season. If the team releases a similar report, then that means that Kevin Durant will be bringing in a healthy offensive lineup against a team that will be missing two of its most valuable scorers. Ingram’s unavailability caused the Pelicans to lose 5 of their last 8 games. If Williamson, who is currently averaging 22.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 5 assists, does not make an appearance at the Suns clash, then the team will have less chance of avoiding the Play-in tournament for the third time in a row.

How did Zion Williamson develop his injury?

The 2x NBA All-Star injured his finger during the recent Pelicans clash against Orlando Magic. While attempting to block a shot by Jalen Suggs, the player accidentally hit the backboard hard and hurt his hand. Despite what happened, the player continued to play during the final buzzer, scoring 15 points in 29 minutes. Unfortunately, his contribution was insufficient, and the Pelicans lost by a score of 117-108. The team’s chances of making the playoffs started to slip away as the loss caused them to drop to the 7th seed.

In the game’s aftermath, Pelicans head coach Willie Green provided an update on Williamson’s injury and stated, “He’s good. X-Rays negative, everything structurally is fine. Just some soreness in his finger.” The coach further stated that he did not have a definite timeline over when the player would return, claiming that his status would be listed on a “day-to-day” basis.  

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After being listed as ‘questionable’ on the report for their next game against the Spurs, Williamson was eventually not deemed fit enough to take a stand on the court and was ruled out from the main lineup. This, along with Ingram’s availability, resulted in a major setback for the Pelicans. Not only did they record their fourth consecutive loss, but they also lost to the team that currently occupies the very last seed on the points chart.

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