New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson is out indefinitely with a fractured left finger, an injury that Pelicans executive David Griffin believes could have been avoided. Williamson had been on fire this season, averaging 27 PPG, 3.7 AST, and 7.2 REB.
This injury couldn’t have come at a worse time as the Pelicans were making a final push for the playoffs. The injury came against the Warriors when going up for a rebound.
Draymond Green incidentally swiped at his hand as he was going up for the ball and injured his finger, which the Pelicans later revealed to be fractured.
Pelicans executive, David Griffin believes that the injury was avoidable. In fact, he instead pinned the blame on the officiating.
“He has been absolutely mauled in the paint on a regular basis, to the point that other players have said to him ‘I’m going to keep doing this to you’… because they don’t call it,” Griffin said.
“He’s injured now because of the open season there’s been on Zion Williamson in the paint,” he continued
“There’s more violence encouraged in the paint against Zion Williamson than any player I’ve seen since Shaq.”
Griffin said that he believes the injury was likely the result of an accumulation of hits over the season.
“I believe he probably suffered the injury over a period of time,” Griffin said.
“It’s a striking injury. It’s a blunt-force injury. He was being beaten on the hand over and over and over again. For me to tell you one time, I don’t think I can do that. I don’t think he knows one time.”
The Pelicans are now the 11th seed with a season record 30-37. As the season approaches its end, they will be looking to make one last push into the play in tournament.
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