Zion Williamson

Zion Williamson scored a career-high 43 points, capping it with New Orleans' final 14 points in the last 2:44, and the Pelicans beat the Timberwolves ...

We tried to give ourselves a chance at the end of the game and that’s all you can ask for.” It’s great to be on the winning side.” “We really had diverse play-calling down the stretch,” a smiling McCollum deadpanned. I’ve got to show it,” added Williamson, who also credited teammate CJ McCollum for urging him on in the final minutes. “People remember winners,” the 22-year-old Williamson said. And that’s what I want to be remembered as — a winner.

D'Angelo Russell expressed his frustrations over Zion Williamson's physicality following the Timberwolves' 119-118 loss vs. Pelicans.

Russell was visibly upset after the refs failed to call an offensive foul on the Pelicans forward. Alas, it was simply not to be. Russell had 27 points on the night, but it simply wasn’t enough to overcome Williamson’s dominance. Speaking with reporters after the game, Russell We can't touch him or guard him. He’s playing football, we playing basketball.

Zion and Anthony Edwards dueled and the Pelicans came out on top.

The game could've unraveled when Gobert picked up his third and fourth fouls within the first 80 seconds of the third quarter. The Pelicans missed a 3 the next trip down but an offensive board by Jaxon Hayes led to Williamson driving and getting fouled. It was a dog fight won by Zion Williamson against a Timberwolves team that gave the Pelicans everything they could handle in New Orleans Wednesday night.

Zion Williamson had a career-high 43 points in the New Orleans Pelicans' win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in his first game back after an illness.

He has taken over as the leader of the New Orleans Pelicans with Brandon Ingram out and is playing with more confidence than he ever has. This is what superstars do, as he took over the game and wouldn’t allow his team to lose. The Pelicans are currently tied for first in the Western Conference, so Zion is doing this in high-pressure games that matter. He’s taken a more vocal leadership role, is demanding the ball with the game on the line, and has improved his defense. Not only did Zion have his way on the inside, but he shot 19 free throws, which kept the T’Wolves front court in foul trouble all night, with Gobert eventually fouling out. The Pelicans have used their depth to not only stay alive but thrive during Ingram’s absence.

The Timberwolves became the latest team to fall victim to the budding superstar that simply would not let the Pelicans lose.

Williamson has maximized those opportunities, scoring 37 points so far in December in games that were within five points in the final five minutes, second only to [DeMar DeRozan](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/demar-derozan-1sVXxgSdLOq7XZwu/) (48) in “clutch” points this month. This while going against Timberwolves center [Rudy Gobert](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/rudy-gobert-HoB7w4Z5ROZnzHO4/), a three-time Defensive Player of the Year and one of the best rim protectors of his generation. Then, there was the play when he swooped in to steal a pass with 41 seconds left before throwing down a huge dunk to give New Orleans the lead. Zion has also been more confident in the other parts of his game of late. His 14-point run in the fourth quarter started with two free throws and a 3-pointer, long considered two of his weaker offensive skills. Kobe Bryant and [Stephen Curry](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/stephen-curry-toS7DgUD3IIt7uds/) were unstoppable shotmakers. [Brandon Ingram](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/brandon-ingram-2qhGZCDXJ36YwTGU/), still out with a toe injury, has provided Williamson more chances to take control of the offense in high-pressure moments. In his third season, Williamson’s grasp of when to take over games and what his team needs from him in big moments has improved considerably. On top of that, it was a prominent example of his growth as a closer in high-pressure moments. Michael Jordan and [LeBron James](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/lebron-james-dxRvkEThnxpMbhcr/) had once-in-a-generation athletic gifts. [Luka Doncic](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/luka-doncic-gMyReUOesjAikT7S/) and Larry Bird are basketball savants who could pick apart any defense. Everyone in the arena knows.

Williamson played bully ball, using his explosiveness, size and power to get to the rim at will. He scored 33 of his 43 points in the second half, including the ...

Giannis leads the NBA with 12.7 free-throw attempts per game and has attempted 20+ free throws twice this season, one of them in Milwaukee's 115-102 win over the Timberwolves on Nov. Jerami Grant attempted 28 free throws in an overtime game between the Blazers and Knicks on Nov. He scored 33 of his 43 points in the second half, including the Pelicans' last 14 points to hold off the competitive Timberwolves.

Willie Green got his first win as a head coach in October 2021 against the Minnesota Timberwolves. At the time, the New Orleans Pelicans were in a much ...

The Pelicans went 30 of 43 at the line. He followed that up with a driving layup and a steal and dunk that gave New Orleans the lead. “It was the start to a special season. Against the struggling Timberwolves, the Pelicans took their fourth straight game, a 119-118 win defined by both teams’ frequent trips to the free-throw line and Williamson's individual brilliance. Without an injured Zion Williamson, the Pelicans limped out of the gates to begin Green’s first season. At the time, the New Orleans Pelicans were in a much different place than they are now.