Zion Williamson has to be better.
Zion came out flat, almost disinterested in the biggest game of the Pelicans season Thursday night — In-Season Tournament semi-finals in Las Vegas on national television against LeBron and the Lakers. The issues that have plagued him all season were laid bare by Los Angeles:
• He has become a terrible defender that other teams target.
• He isn’t consistently aggressive going to the rim, almost wanting to be more of a facilitator.
• We rarely see his legendary bursts, and even then he’s not as explosive as he once was.
• His conditioning is clearly not at the level it needs to be (which is being kind about it).
• He is maybe the third-best player on a team where he should be the unquestioned No. 1 option.
• Zion finished with 13 points and two rebounds, and did not impact the game.
This was Zion’s second consecutive flat performance (10 points, six assists vs. the Kings in a game the Pelicans won thanks to Brandon Ingram). After Thursday’s contest, Williamson said all the right things — as he has done in the past. Via William Guillory of The Athletic:
“I’ve got to be better. I’ve got to be more aggressive finding my shot. I’ve got to do more things to get my team going,” Williamson said. “I think I was too laid back tonight. I can’t do that. Defensively, I’ve got to be better.”
Actions matter, not words.
Zion was a stark contrast to LeBron James Thursday — and not because of LeBron’s 30-point outing. It was because of the energy and passion LeBron played with — he wanted this game, he wasn’t just happy to be in Vegas. LeBron and Zion were both touched by the basketball gods with otherworldly physical gifts, but LeBron has spent 21 seasons maximizing everything he could get out of his body and mind. LeBron is committed. Every day. Zion flashes his potential but then coasts through games like he did Thursday. We all hear the words about his personal chef and commitment conditioning, but then we see the reports out of New Orleans about him not listening to the team telling him he needs to be in better shape. Not that anyone needs those reports, simply watch him play and it’s clear he’s not committed to conditioning.
New Orleans has built a team with the potential to be very good, a top-four team in the West that could be a threat to Denver. Ingram is an elite scorer and shot creator who plays a high IQ game, and we have seen show up in the playoffs and big games. CJ McCollum is a top-level shooter and scorer at the guard spot. Trey Murphy III can shoot the rock, Herbert Jones is an elite wing defender and improving shooter, and the list of quality players goes on and on: Jose Alvarado, Dyson Daniels, Jonas Valanciunas, Jordan Hawkins, Larry Nance Jr. (once he gets healthy).
This is a good team without Zion (and maybe we should see more of it), but it can only be elite with peak Zion. He has only been that guy in short stretches this season.
Zion Williamson has to be better.
