Star forward Zion Williamson claimed accountability for the New Orleans Pelicans" failure to compete in the most meaningful game of his career.
The Los Angeles Lakers rolled to a 133-89 rout of the Pelicans in Thursday"s semifinals of the NBA"s in-season tournament at T-Mobile Arena.
Williamson agreed with Pelicans coach Willie Green"s assessment that there was “just a lack of competitive spirit from our group" and blamed his timid play for setting the tone.
Williamson finished with 13 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 turnovers in 26 minutes, during which the Pelicans were outscored by 33 points. “I got to be better," Williamson said.
Lakers star LeBron James was a dominant force with 30 points, 5 rebounds and 8 assists in only 23 minutes. James sat out the entire fourth quarter after the Lakers blew the game open by outscoring the Pelicans 43-17 in the third.
“Tonight was a total letdown," Pelicans coach Willie Green said.
“We were all disappointed in our competitive spirit against the Lakers, and you got to give them credit."
Williamson, in contrast, has yet to play in an NBA postseason game. He was sidelined for play-in games the past two seasons and the Pelicans" 2022 playoff appearance because of injuries.
“I have a problem where I literally just try to hunt the best shot possible every time, but my teammates, they expect more from me,"
Williamson said.
New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson lamented his lack of aggressiveness during Thursday"s 133-89 blowout loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in the semifinals of the NBA in-season tournament.
Speaking to reporters after the game, Williamson gave an honest assessment of his play, saying:
“I got to be better. I got to be more aggressive, finding my shot."
Essentially every Pelicans player performed below expectations Thursday, as only three players scored in double figures, and none scored more than 14 points.
Although Williamson was efficient when he did shoot Thursday night, he didn"t put up nearly enough shots, and he explained what went wrong, saying: Of the Pelicans players who attempted more than two shots, Williamson is the only one who made at least half of his attempts.
By comparison, the Lakers shot a scorching 54.7 percent from the field and 48.6 percent from long range, led by ageless superstar LeBron James, who led all scorers with 30 points on 9-of-12 shooting, including 4-of-4 from downtown.
Five other Lakers players scored in double figures as well, including Austin Reaves, who contributed 17 points in just 23 minutes off the bench.
The Pelicans are just 12-11 on the season, but they got hot during the tournament and went on a deep run before coming up against a buzzsaw in the Lakers.
He is also second on the team in scoring with 22.2 points per game and is averaging 5.6 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.1 steals as well.
The New Orleans Pelicans were utterly embarrassed Thursday night against the Los Angeles Lakers in the semifinals of the NBA In-Season Tournament.
New Orleans was on a national stage facing one of the greatest players in the game"s history, LeBron James, and it looked like they didn"t belong on the court.
The pregame hype buildup featured an old guard versus a new kid on the block theme, focusing on the LeBron James and Zion Williamson matchup.
"I'm disappointed in Zion [Williamson]. I wanted him to go at LeBron [at the In-Season Tournament Semifinals]… I really wanted Zion to take that next step. That was the perfect time to do it."
—Patrick Beverley
Thoughts?🤔
(via @PatBevPod)pic.twitter.com/U0HEX9ESym
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 14, 2023
The 38-year-old James did his part, scoring 27 of his game-high 30 points in the second and third quarters and looking nothing like a 21-year aging veteran in the league.
Meanwhile, Zion Williamson, who scored just 13 points, looked unengaged at times, especially on the defensive end of the court.
Williamson said all the right things postgame about how he needs to play better individually and for his teammates.
A new report suggests the Pelicans organization has stressed to Zion the need for his conditioning to improve.
According to the report, Williamson “doesn"t listen."
New Orleans extended a commitment to Zion this offseason with a five-year, $193 million rookie max extension.
Former players and analysts like Shaquille O"Neal and Charles Barkley have critiqued Williamson"s lack of discipline, weight issues, and consistency on the court.
Barkley specifically points out Williamson"s lack of rebounding as a leading indicator of his lack of effort.
Shaq on the deficiencies in Zion's Williamson game:
"I was just like him." pic.twitter.com/bEWBwTvJuJ
— Oh no he didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) December 8, 2023
Zion"s career-high in rebounds is 15 twice in an NBA game. Sir Charles, Barkley"s nickname, averaged 14.6 rebounds in the 1986-1987 season.
Coach Willie Green believes Zion"s offensive performance can be enhanced by their commitment to rebounding. Number 1, transition, so rebound the ball, and you can push before their defense is set.
“The “L" taken on Thursday shouldn"t just be a loss for Zion Williamson and the Pelicans but also a lesson.
Charles Barkley on Zion:
"He's got two guys on his team that are better players than him and they shouldn't be."
Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/2yTYZvWSmC
— Beastbrook (@Beastbr00k0) December 8, 2023
LeBron James, nearing his 39th birthday, delivered a stunning performance, highlighting his enduring prowess in the Los Angeles Lakers" commanding victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.
He dazzled with 30 points, eight assists, and five rebounds, leading the Lakers to a 133-89 triumph on Thursday.
This commitment to defense, particularly from a player who has logged the most minutes in league history, set a tone for the Lakers at halftime.
Now, the Lakers, led by James, are eyeing another championship. The tournament offers an opportunity for the Lakers to build momentum as they continue their pursuit of the NBA championship in June.
Fans too were disappointed with Williamson:
I’m a Zion fan, but I agree with this 100%. There’s still more basketball left, but Zion so far hasn’t demanded the ball enough, or taken advantage of being guarded by smaller players. He will use his size at times to score, but the points he gets aren’t always from easy shots.
— Mamba Forever🐍 (@UniteFor_Change) December 8, 2023
Zion needs to lose 25lbs so he can move better!!!!
— Vylse (@fashionlover41) December 9, 2023
I honestly think last year might have broke him mentally as far as working out & eating right. He came into last season in great shape…. & got hurt again. I really hope he can recover mentally…. he may he checked out.
— Jesse Kittrell (@HurricaneZion) December 8, 2023
There are so many guys who've come and gone with extraordinary athletic abilities, but did not have the maturity or determination, or both, to reach their ceiling.
— Onward (@PNWHeathen) December 8, 2023
Zion will always be plagued with injuries. He's so heavy and bulky that the constant wear and tear on his joints and tendons will result in one injury after another. He's too heavy for a long term basketball career.
— Bodyman (@Bodyman75A) December 13, 2023
Zion will never ever get it together. He is the next Tua. Oden. The poor man's coulda been. Grant Hill with even more injuries. That's his absolute peak. We all saw it from day 1. No surprise. Non issue. Move on.
— Daemon Targaryen (@The_PrinceRogue) December 9, 2023
Dead Weight dont have no moves but playing bully ball and the bully ran into a brick wall tonight
— warren (@westbankfat) December 8, 2023
