In April, the New Orleans Pelicans’ 2023-24 season ended with Zion Williamson in street clothes. Williamson wasn’t able to play in the team’s first-round series against the Oklahoma City Thunder because of a hamstring strain.
On Wednesday, the Pelicans’ 2024-25 campaign began without Williamson on the sideline at all. He missed the team’s opener against the Chicago Bulls with an illness.
Photos: The New Orleans Pelicans start the season without Zion Williamson and win
“Right now, it’s some type of virus,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said. “Something like that.”
Without Williamson, the Pelicans still toppled the Bulls. CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram combined for 56 points as New Orleans beat Chicago 123-111 at Smoothie King Center.
The Pelicans are 1-0. They head West for two games against the Portland Trail Blazers, followed by two games against the Golden State Warriors. Green didn’t know whether Williamson will be able to accompany the team.
“We are hopeful,” Green said. “We don’t know yet.”
Green decided to go with a starting lineup of Dejounte Murray, McCollum, Herb Jones, Ingram and Daniel Theis — the same five players who started the team’s preseason finale.
McCollum paced the Pelicans offensively early on. New Orleans held a one-point lead at halftime and then raced ahead early in the third quarter, as it repeatedly turned Chicago over and scored in transition.
With 8:17 to go in the quarter, Murray and Theis forced the Bulls into a bad pass. Murray threw the ball behind his back to McCollum, who was waiting in the left corner. McCollum made the shot, which extended New Orleans’ lead to 10 points.
McCollum ranked third in the NBA in 3-pointers made per game last season. He shot 5 of 11 behind the arc in the first game of his 12th NBA season.
McCollum received plenty of support in the second half from Ingram. The Pelicans forward scored eight points in the first five minutes of the fourth quarter.
Ingram said during training camp he wanted to take more 3-pointers this season, and he went 3 of 5 from distance Wednesday. He finished with a game-high 33 points.
The Pelicans forced the Bulls into 21 turnovers, which they converted into 30 points. With 6:58 to go in the game, backup wing Javonte Green picked off Zach LaVine and raced down the floor for a dunk.
Green scored nine of the Pelicans’ 43 bench points. Rookie Yves Missi was one of two New Orleans reserves to score in double digits. In his first NBA game, Missi contributed 12 points, seven rebounds, one steal and three blocks. When he exited the game for the final time at the 4:19 mark in the fourth quarter, the crowd gave him a loud ovation.
Second-year guard Jordan Hawkins had 13 points off the bench.