There has been a change in perspective on Zion Williamson in under a week. From being bashed for his underperformance against LeBron James, the 6’6 wing now sees fans praying for his healthy return to the court. Zion put a dent in the initial narratives by dropping 40 points and 11 rebounds on the Lakers in the play-in game. However, with his 40th point came a disappointing blow to his comeback: a hamstring injury sidelining him for the season.

Regardless, Zion put up his best display throughout the 23-24 season. He played the most games of his career, (70 regular season + 1 play-in) while improving team chemistry and battling weight issues. The season-long success comes right after the forward’s inclination towards LeBron James‘ training blue-print. In last year’s Gil’s Arena podcast, Zion claimed that “locking in on flexibility and band work” would benefit him more than simply shedding weight. He then added, “Bron got the blueprint, I’m gonna try my best to follow it.”

So, when Gilbert Arenas’ podcast crew discussed Zion’s endurance on the court in the recent episode, they couldn’t help but shed light on the athletic wing’s comments from last June. With that, appreciating Zion’s progress, Rashad McCants, the 2005 NCAA Champion, jokingly said, “The blueprint is a phone call away. Bring that s**t over here man,” leaving the crew in chuckles who were discussing how “hard he [Zion] need to go” to reach LeBron’s stance.

Further tipping their hat to the New Orleans Pelicans superstar, Norris Cole referred to Zion’s battles. The 2-time champion said, “During the season he had to work extra hard just to lose the weight and play ball. That’s like a double whammy.” Moreover, while wishing the best to Zion, the crew briefly pondered if Zion’s inclination to work extra hard had to factor in his season-ending injury.

Can the Pelicans save their season without Zion Williamson?

The earliest Pelicans can reinstate Zion to the roster would be around May 2nd. Given that their Sacramento Kings matchup places the winner against the Oklahoma City Thunder, chances for the Pelicans remain slim to advance past the first round. Moreover, even if they manage to hold off the best team in the West till Game 5, they will only have Zion for the remaining two games – coming back from an injury.

Regardless, from their season-long matchups, the Pelicans still have a chance at saving their season. The Pelicans swept the 5-game season series against the Kings, behind a couple of blowout games and 3 games with an average margin of 8 points.

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Moreover, the Pels also managed to win the January 7 ball game without Zion. With that, statistically, Pelicans still have a chance to advance to the finals. However, the Kings are coming off a monumental win against the Golden State Warriors and are brimmed with confidence. They have redeemed their last season’s playoff exit, and it wouldn’t be a wonder if they redeem their season series against the Pels too.