Zion Williamson may finally play an NBA game at MSG in front of a full crowd.
The oft-injured and high-flying Pelicans forward is listed as questionable for Tuesday’s game against the Knicks with a left foot contusion, an ailment that didn’t stop him from playing Sunday against the Bulls.
Assuming Williamson is available, Tuesday will represent just his second NBA game ever at MSG — and first since April 2021.
That game was held during the pandemic season in front of limited fans. Williamson previously played at MSG while at Duke.
“We’re gonna see,” said Josh Hart, who was Williamson’s teammate in New Orleans and played 42 minutes in Monday’s win over the Pistons. “Played him earlier in the year on the second night of a back-to-back, and we’re doing it again. We’ll see how that is.”
Williamson, who the Knicks tanked an entire season to try to draft in 2019, is averaging 22.4 points this season on 58 percent shooting.
The Knicks lost in New Orleans in October. The Pelicans (34-24) will be missing Brooklyn product Jose Alvarado, who is suspended for his part in a scuffle with the Heat last week.
The Pistons were cheated by the referees in a game that wasn’t even supposed to be in New York.
Monday’s 113-111 victory — which ended with a blown no-call that benefitted the Knicks — was originally scheduled for Detroit, but, due to issues related to the In-Season Tournament, was moved to MSG.
Basically, the Knicks were given too many road games because of their advancement in the in-season tourney — and the league punished the Pistons by taking away one of their games at Little Caesars Arena. It’s a pitfall of being the league’s worst team.
Regarding his high-profile injured players, Tom Thibodeau has repeated they need to hit “markers” in recovery.
On Monday, Thibodeau was asked to define those “markers.”
“It’s strength, range of motion, conditioning,” the coach said. “And once the doctors feel good about it, then you add in the contact and that’s usually one-on-one, two-on-two, three-on-three. Then you get to five-on-five, and you’re good to go.”
Neither Julius Randle (dislocated shoulder), OG Anunoby (elbow surgery) nor Mitchell Robinson (ankle surgery) have been cleared for contact.
“They have these markers they have to meet, and then they have to get cleared through medical with their exams with the doctors, and once that happens, then that’s really the next phase for them,” Thibodeau said.
The Knicks have relayed an expectation that at least Anunoby and Randle will return for the regular season.
It’s virtual certainty now that two of the Knicks’ possible first-round picks won’t convey this year.
One of them is top-18 protected coming from the Pistons, the other is top-12 protected from the Wizards. Those are the two worst teams in the league.
Both picks will also be protected next year. They eventually become second-round picks if they don’t convey in a few years.
The Knicks will likely get the Mavericks pick (top-10 protected) along with their own first-rounder.
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February 27, 2024 at 07:24PM
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