Zion Williamson turned in his best scoring performance of the season Friday, dropping 35 points against Portland, but the injury-riddled New Orleans Pelicans still suffered their sixth straight loss, as reported by Lee East of NOLA.com.
Head coach James Borrego highlighted Williamson’s recent stretch of form, as the forward has now scored 30 or more points in three consecutive games.
“He looks great,” Borrego said, adding that Williamson appears confident, aggressive, and mentally sharp. “It’s as well as I think he’s played in a while.”
New Orleans was again without multiple rotation players, including Herbert Jones, Trey Murphy III, Derik Queen, and Saddiq Bey.
Jones is expected to miss his seventh straight game Sunday against the Miami Heat, while Murphy and Queen remain questionable.
Per Rod Walker, the Pelicans’ losing streak closely mirrors Jones’ absence, with the team struggling defensively without its top perimeter stopper, something Borrego acknowledged while stressing that injuries alone cannot excuse their defensive lapses.
Southwest Notes: Pelicans, Jones, Sengun, Wemby, K. Johnson https://t.co/p6Dc55A53k pic.twitter.com/UsYHoq8KMJ
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) January 4, 2026
