Zion Williamson learns from mistakes as Play-In Tournament stage awaits
Zion Williamson, star of the Pelicans, is hopeful for a long postseason journey, starting with a Play-In game on Tuesday. This is his first trip to the postseason.
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Zion Williamson pursued his career in his own way.
It worked, too. Temporarily, at least.
In Year 1, he ranked first among rookies in points per game (22.5), second in rebounds per game (6.3) and became the first rookie since Michael Jordan to rack up 16 20-point performances within their first 20 outings. He earned NBA All-Rookie First Team recognition.
Williamson’s sophomore season brought about more with his first NBA All-Star nod.
It seemed almost too easy for the explosive wrecking ball top pick of the 2019 NBA Draft, who was always bigger, stronger and faster than the competition.
However, what is proven and consistent in the NBA is the way rival players and teams consistently adapt.
Williamson learned this the hard way through a string of injuries, (one that forced him to miss all of 2021-22 and another last season that limited him to just 29 games), uneven performances and constant scrutiny regarding his weight and physical conditioning. It all came to a head on Dec. 7 after a 133-89 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in the In-Season Tournament.
Coincidentally, the No. 7 New Orleans Pelicans host those eighth-seeded Lakers in the SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament on Tuesday night (7:30 ET, TNT).
However, the In-Season Tournament game in December still holds significance to this day. It was seen as a pivotal moment in Williamson’s development by some members of the Pelicans organization.
He was unable to conduct business his way on the national stage — he failed.
It was now time to attempt something different.
“I’ve got to be better,” Williamson said after that loss. “I think I was too laid-back tonight and I just can’t do that. Defensively, I’ve got to be better.”
The 23-year-old ended the game with 13 points, two rebounds, three assists, and three turnovers in a dismal 26 minutes. During his time on the court, Los Angeles outscored New Orleans by 33 points.
With a chance to avoid the Play-In Tournament altogether Sunday in the regular-season finale against those same Lakers, Williamson and the Pelicans fell again, 124-108.
Williamson ended with a minus-21 and tied for the highest number of turnovers on the team with four, leading to the Lakers scoring 27 points from New Orleans’ 19 total giveaways.
“After the loss, he admitted, “I believe I was overly passive, to be honest. I don’t think I maintained a high level of aggression throughout the game.”
Sound familiar?
Introspection leads to turning point
Since their Dec. 8 defeat to the Lakers in the In-Season Tournament, Zion Williamson and the Pelicans have managed to reverse their fortunes.
Williamson, commendably, comprehends his importance. He acknowledges his significance to the organization and realizes that its overall achievement depends on his presence, output, and wisdom both on and off the court. Therefore, after the defeat to the Lakers in the In-Season Tournament, Williamson began a journey to discover how he could optimally contribute to the team.
The profound impact of that experience, coupled with the birth of his daughter in November, significantly affected him.
Of course, the journey resulted in significant self-assessment. Williamson delved deep within himself to fully utilise every resource for increased consistency on the court. As a two-time All-Star, he recognised the need to “stack days”, in the words of Pelicans coach Willie Green, working tirelessly off-stage to boost his physical fitness.
He realized his method was no longer effective.
Eventually, Williamson reportedly lost more than 25 pounds through a process that included additional conditioning sessions and daily multiple workouts with Assistant Coach Aaron Miles and Player Development Coach Corey Brewer. Some individuals within the organization now believe that Williamson approaches practices with an attacking mindset, rather than just getting through them.
Previously known for being among the last to arrive and first to leave, Williamson has now built up a reputation for hard work that resonates with his teammates. The work ethic throughout the team was largely instilled by defensive powerhouse Herbert Jones.
Williamson grabbed the baton and started running with it.
He explained how he organizes his days, “I focus on several small tasks: recovery, additional recovery, and conditioning,” he noted. “During practice, I ensure to maintain a high level of intensity so that my body can adapt to it.”
Green also contributed to escalating the force.
In the club’s initial live practice after the All-Star break, the coach assigned Williamson and Brandon Ingram, the second-highest scorer, to opposing teams. This session became one of the most competitive the team had seen up to that point in the season, and this continued.
Williamson hasn’t stopped, either.
This is most noticeable on the defensive side of the game. Previously, Williamson adopted a more cautious defensive strategy, seemingly to prevent injury. He has confidence in his physical condition as he has put in the necessary effort to guarantee his wellbeing and performance.
During the team’s 4-0 road trip out West near the end of the regular season, Williamson blocked a career-high five shots April 7 at Phoenix before notching a career-high six steals five nights later at Golden State.
“When asked about the most significant area of growth for the team from the start of the season till now, Williamson responded with ‘Trust’,”
This applies to both the players and the coaches. At the start of the season, we were all excited. However, we weren’t fully committed. Observing our current gameplay, you can see our full commitment on both offense and defense. We trust each other completely. Any championship-winning team possesses this profound trust in one another.
Pelicans’ big issue to solve
Place a large player near the basket, ensure Williamson is heavily guarded when he drives, and observe as New Orleans falls apart.
During a six-game homestand from late March to early April, various versions of the tactic were utilized by opponents, resulting in the Pelicans concluding with a 1-5 record. They have yet to discover a consistently successful countermeasure. It’s important to note that Ingram, a talented scorer and facilitator, was absent from all these games due to a bone bruise in his left knee, which was part of a 12-game absence.
Ingram came back for the season finale against the Lakers, but he is not yet fully up to speed.
Therefore, removing Williamson has been crucial in hindering the Pelicans. Green attempted to use smaller teams during that time with Williamson in the fifth position, but only achieved sporadic success.
When opponents stationed at the centers in the lane, essentially isolating Jonas Valanciunas or Larry Nance Jr., New Orleans attempted to pass the ball to a big on the opposite wing. This player could then swiftly relay the ball to a shooter.
“Nance stated, “Teams will focus their defenses on Z. It is common for teams to concentrate on your best player. We will witness this in the playoffs and in the following games, starting from tomorrow. We just need to keep creating space around him.”
Still, nothing has proven effective consistently.
“Zion needs to keep understanding and applying these strategies,” said Green. “It’s acceptable for our number fives to be spread out as they can create opportunities for our wings and guards, and it’s challenging for the opponent’s big man to recover. Another modification for us involves adopting a smaller lineup and forcing them to defend us. Primarily, their number fives are departing and they are following Zion closely.”
“So, it’s challenging to strike them first and then switch to another person. They would struggle to return and challenge those shots. We just need to keep improving on this.”
Pressure isn’t all on Williamson
Green emphasized that without Ingram and Jose Alvarado on the court, his team’s room for mistakes drastically reduced amid the recent challenges faced in New Orleans.
Alvarado missed five consecutive games from March 28 to April 5, but came back for the last five games of the regular season. On the other hand, Ingram returned to New Orleans for Sunday’s defeat against the Lakers, contributing 13 points with 6-of-9 shooting in a span of 23 minutes.
Ingram stated, “The narrative was pre-determined; tonight was meant to be. It all comes down to how I interpret it and react. My knee felt quite robust tonight, so I’m prepared to push forward and keep playing. We took a hard blow, but I believe we’ll rebound, especially considering what’s at stake.”
On Monday, New Orleans began the process at practice. After implementing numerous changes to adjust for Ingram’s absence, the team now needs to make further modifications to integrate his return.
“Green stated, “He’s a major component of our operations. Currently, we’re discussing our rotations and working on reintegrating B.I. back into the floor game, ensuring he’s up to speed.”
New Orleans joins the Play-In Tournament on Tuesday in near perfect health. With Ingram rejoining the starting lineup, it’s possible that New Orleans can fully utilize their young talent arsenal for the first time in quite some time.
The stifling defense of Jones, a probable All-NBA defender, often goes unnoticed. We also tend to overlook CJ McCollum’s veteran leadership and impactful contributions from bench players like Alvarado, Trey Murphy III, and Dyson Daniels.
On getting a career-high 6 steals tonight, Zion credits his teammates for inspiring him #Pelicans pic.twitter.com/I4szO7aFYP
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) April 13, 2024
“Like the plague,” avoid Jones, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich warned his team before their April 5 matchup against the Pelicans.
Popovich humorously instructed his team, “If he’s there, pass it to someone else,” he said.
To be truly serious, New Orleans definitely needs more than just Williamson to succeed against the Lakers, who have a 3-1 season record against the Pelicans. The size and physical prowess of Los Angeles, particularly with players like LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Rui Hachimura dominating the frontcourt, have proven to be an issue.
On Sunday, in just the first half, the Lakers scored 50-12 against New Orleans in the paint and eventually ended the battle with a score of 68-42. Over three games, they’ve beaten the Pelicans by an average of 25.6 points.
Since joining the NBA in 2019, Williamson hasn’t yet experienced the postseason. This game provides an opportunity for redemption. The last time he performed on such a large stage, he faced a potentially career-altering moment.
“We don’t need any explanation,” said Williamson. “We all quite understand the structure of the Play-In Tournament. Our task is simply to handle our business. Although easier said than done, it’s our responsibility. We’re thankful for this chance.”
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Michael C. Wright is a senior writer for NBA.com. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on Twitter.
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