Zion Williamson has returned to the Disney bubble, the New Orleans Pelicans announced Friday. The rookie star left Orlando to deal with a family situation, but was tested for coronavirus daily while away. It never tested positive. Therefore, you only need to quarantine for four days before you are eligible to return to the flat. Williamson will be quarantined for four days and will meet with the Pelicans in time for their first game of the season restarted Thursday against the Utah Jazz, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Pelicans spent most of the season in the basement of the Western Conference. However, once Williamson returned from the knee injury that kept him out for most of his rookie year, they returned to compete for a playoff spot. His initial lineup with Williamson in the fold has destroyed opponents by 26.3 points per 100 possessions, and that has been one of the catalysts behind New Orleans’ improvement before the season was suspended.
They are now one of several teams battling the Memphis Grizzlies and their own star rookie, Ja Morant, for the number 8 spot in the Western Conference. New Orleans is currently 3.5 games behind Memphis, but if seed number 9 ends within four games of seed number 8 after the eight seed games at Disney, that would trigger a game situation where that seed number 9 would make the playoffs if you beat No. 8 twice in a row.
New Orleans had the NBA’s easiest remaining schedule before the season stopped, and while the bubble couldn’t recreate the path that would have been in front of them, they do have the teams’ easiest schedule in Orlando. The odds aren’t in their favor considering where they’re starting, but with Zion back in the fold and not necessarily losing games, the Pelicans have a real shot at the postseason.
