<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px;    font-size: 18px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px;    font-size: 16px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: #0000FF;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 16px;    text-decoration: none;}ul {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 16px;}ol {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    padding: 0px 0px 0px 15px;    font-size: 16px;    border-left: 2px solid black;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 12px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;    background-color: #EFEFEF;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article><header><figure><img src="https://clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Anthony-Davis-comes-up-with-impressive-swat-on-Zion-Williamson.jpg"></figure><h1>Video: Anthony Davis comes up with impressive swat on Zion Williamson</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2021-01-15T20:05:43-08:00">January 15th, 8:05pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2021-01-15T20:05:43-08:00">January 15th, 8:05pm</time><address><a>Paolo Songco</a></address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Los Angeles Lakers battled the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday and it was an opportunity for the defending champions to face off against one of the brightest young stars in the NBA today in Zion Williamson. Lakers superstar Anthony Davis, however, sent Williamson a message early in the game, coming up with a huge block in the shaded lane in the first quarter.</p><p>Davis’ defensive effort against the high-flying Williamson was nothing short of impressive.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">AD 🖐 Zion</p><p>(via <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank">@NBA</a>)<a href="https://t.co/MEClEhtY3V" target="_blank">pic.twitter.com/MEClEhtY3V</a></p><p>— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) <a href="https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1350283857522659331?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank">January 16, 2021</a></p></blockquote><p></p></figure><p>Williamson put on a slick crossover against Davis, and at one point, the former Duke standout thought he had a wide-open layup. But he learned the hard way that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/lakers-news-anthony-davis-dpoy-candidacy-gets-early-boost-from-jared-dudley/">life isn’t that simple against AD</a>, who is a three-time NBA block champion and a four-time All-Defensive Team member.</p><p>Williamson isn’t an easy cover because of his size, heft, and athleticism. But Davis is also no stranger to locking down elite big men.</p><p>Davis and company came into the contest with a four-game winning streak. They’ve also amassed seven victories in their last eight games and looking to mark their 11th win of the season against the Pelicans.</p><p>Anthony Davis has been outstanding for the Purple &amp; Gold early in the season, <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/davisan02.html#all_per_game">putting up averages</a> of 22.1 points on 56.7 percent shooting from the field, 8.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.7 blocks per game entering Friday’s matchup.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Video: Anthony Davis comes up with impressive swat on Zion Williamson

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px;    font-size: 18px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px;    font-size: 16px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: #0000FF;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 16px;    text-decoration: none;}ul {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 16px;}ol {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    padding: 0px 0px 0px 15px;    font-size: 16px;    border-left: 2px solid black;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 12px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;    background-color: #EFEFEF;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article><header><figure><img src="https://clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Pelicans-news-Zion-Williamson-returning-from-COVID-19-protocol-in-time-for-Lakers-grudge-match-Thumbnail.jpg"></figure><h1>Zion Williamson returning from COVID-19 protocol in time for Pelicans-Lakers grudge match</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2021-01-14T14:18:25-08:00">January 14th, 2:18pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2021-01-14T14:18:25-08:00">January 14th, 2:18pm</time><address><a>Marty Fenn</a></address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/pelicans-news-zion-williamson-will-miss-clippers-matchup-due-to-covid-19-protocols/">missed</a> Wednesday’s loss to the Los Angeles Clippers due to the league’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols. However, Williamson will be on the floor when the Pels take on the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday.</p><p><a href="https://twitter.com/_Andrew_Lopez/status/1349500725244678145">Andrew Lopez of ESPN</a> previously reported Williamson’s absence Wednesday was mandated by an inconclusive test. In other words, he was essentially held out as a precautionary measure.</p><p>But Lopez reported Thursday the former No. 1 pick has been cleared to resume team activities, and will be available for Friday’s matchup with the defending champion Lakers.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Zion Williamson has been cleared to resume team activities, source says. </p><p>He's good to play tomorrow night vs. the Lakers.</p><p>— Andrew Lopez (@_Andrew_Lopez) <a href="https://twitter.com/_Andrew_Lopez/status/1349831806317715462?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank">January 14, 2021</a></p></blockquote><p></p></figure><p>Williamson’s sophomore season was off to a strong start prior to Wednesday’s bump in the road.</p><p>The former Duke star was averaging 21.9 points and 8.1 rebounds through his first nine games. He also had slightly better defensive metrics after looking like a glaring weak spot in New Orleans’ team defense during the NBA restart. Zion will try to lift the Pelicans after they suffered a fourth consecutive loss on Wednesday.</p><p>New Orleans has made major strides on the defensive end of the floor this season, ranking ninth in defensive rating. But scoring the ball has been a bit of a struggle.</p><p>Lonzo Ball was really struggling through his first nine games, in part because Eric Bledsoe had also been seeing more of the ball. But there are reasons to be encouraged.</p><p>Brandon Ingram was terrific down the stretch in Wednesday’s loss to the Clippers, and second-year guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored a career-high 37 points. Alexander-Walker in particular has looked more and more like a bright spot in the early goings.</p><p>The Pelicans will hope to halt their losing skid Friday night against the Lakers.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Zion Williamson returning from COVID-19 protocol in time for Pelicans-Lakers grudge match

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px;    font-size: 18px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px;    font-size: 16px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: #0000FF;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 16px;    text-decoration: none;}ul {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 16px;}ol {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    padding: 0px 0px 0px 15px;    font-size: 16px;    border-left: 2px solid black;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 12px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;    background-color: #EFEFEF;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article><header><figure><img src="https://clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Pelicans-Zion-Williamson-Clippers-Kawhi-Leonard.jpg"></figure><h1>Pelicans star Zion Williamson will miss Clippers matchup due to COVID-19 protocols</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2021-01-13T13:05:39-08:00">January 13th, 1:05pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2021-01-13T13:06:03-08:00">January 13th, 1:06pm</time><address><a>Marty Fenn</a></address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-news-pelicans-mavs-celtics-bulls-both-postponed-due-league-health-safety-protocols/">New Orleans Pelicans</a> forward Zion Williamson will not be available Wednesday night as the Pels prepare to take on the Los Angeles Clippers.</p><p>The Pelicans announced Williamson was ruled out due to the league’s COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocols.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Updated Injury Report: Zion Williamson is OUT for tonight’s game (Health and Safety Protocols) <a href="https://t.co/WesMg9dQQK" target="_blank">pic.twitter.com/WesMg9dQQK</a></p><p>— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/PelicansNBA/status/1349455516855054336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank">January 13, 2021</a></p></blockquote><p></p></figure><p>It is unknown whether Williamson himself tested positive, or if his absence is the cause of contact tracing.</p><p>What is clear is how dire the situation has become for the NBA.</p><p>This week has already seen a number of postponements, including three games on Wednesday alone. Between injuries, positive tests and contact tracing, teams like the Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards are having a hard time rostering the minimum eight players needed to play a game. The Pelicans also had a game postponed on Monday against the Mavericks.</p><p>The league issued an update to the Health and Safety Protocols after a call with the Board of Governors on Tuesday. This update mandates, among other things, limited interaction between teammates and opponents in addition to prohibiting guests when traveling. The NBA is also encouraging more mask-wearing by players and coaches on the bench.</p><p>Williamson’s sophomore season had gotten off to a fast start. <a href="https://www.espn.co.uk/nba/insider/story/_/id/30700548/charting-next-step-zion-williamson-star-journey">The former No. 1 overall pick was averaging 21.9 points and 8.1 rebounds through his first nine games</a>, shooting 55.7 percent from the floor with slightly better advanced defensive metrics.</p><p>But the Pelicans have struggled out of the gate. New Orleans is 4-5 heading into Wednesday’s matchup with the Clippers. Lonzo Ball has not been the kind of playmaker New Orleans hoped he might be, and J.J. Redick has often been replaced by Josh Hart. The Pels are fifth in defensive rating, but just 22nd in offensive rating.</p><p>Things could get that much more challenging on the offensive end of the floor if Williamson misses extended time.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans star Zion Williamson will miss Clippers matchup due to COVID-19 protocols

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px;    font-size: 18px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px;    font-size: 16px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: #0000FF;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 16px;    text-decoration: none;}ul {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 16px;}ol {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    padding: 0px 0px 0px 15px;    font-size: 16px;    border-left: 2px solid black;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 12px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;    background-color: #EFEFEF;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article><header><figure><img src="https://clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/zion-williamson-1-of-1-card-up-for-auction-expected-to-fetch-insane-payout.jpg"></figure><h1>Zion Williamson 1-of-1 card up for auction expected to fetch insane payout</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2021-01-11T07:01:07-08:00">January 11th, 7:01am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2021-01-11T07:01:07-08:00">January 11th, 7:01am</time><address><a>Julio Luis Munar</a></address><h3 class="op-kicker">Mini-Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Have you ever pulled a card or won something from a break that completely blew your mind away? If you have, then it pales in comparison to what this guy got recently – a 2019-20 Flawless Zion Williamson Logoman Patch One of One.</p><p>Talk about hitting it big out of nowhere. Well, that’s the same case for <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2021/01/09/zion-williamson-new-orleans-pelicans-flawless-logoman-card-goldin-auctions/">a card collector</a> from the Land Down Under, Australia. All it took was $750 to join a break hosted by Firehands Cards in California. The break was done online last Christmas Eve and everyone who paid the said amount will receive one card from the break itself.</p><p>For those who have no idea how a box break works, here’s the basic gist of it. Basically, you’re buying a spot into a break. Usually, each spot randomly assigns a team to you and all cards under that team will go to you when a sealed box of cards is opened. The break itself is broadcasted online so you can see which cards you can get in realtime.</p><p>For this particular break, two 2019-20 Flawless Boxes were opened live. Keep in mind that the one box itself sells for around $7,000 in the market. This amount makes it impossible for casual fans to buy one off the shelf. That’s why card collectors join these breaks because aside from it’s a fun pastime, it’s also one of the best ways to obtain these valuable cards at the fraction of their true cost.</p><p>And boy, did this person hit it big time. He knew that each spot will only garner one card from that break. But the thing is,  there was no idea beforehand which player he was going to get. The worst-case scenario here is that you pay $750 for a card that’s true value will never exceed $7.5. Turns out, it was the very best-case scenario for this guy.</p><p>As with most box breaks, the breaker slowly reveals the card to create an exciting atmosphere. With the revelation of the One of One logo and the Logoman patch itself, the suspense reached ridiculous levels for those who participated in the break, and even those who caught the live stream online. Within a single pull, it was then revealed to be a holy grail – Zion Williamson’s One of One <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/lakers-news-fan-pulls-lebron-james-ultra-rare-card-gets-insane-offers/">Logoman</a> Patch Card, which features a piece from the player’s game-worn jersey.</p><p>The fan wasted no time in cashing his massive win in. He communicated with Ken Goldin, owner of Goldin Auctions, to place this valuable item up for auction. The card was then personally delivered by Goldin’s nephew to PSA to grade it. A day passed and the card was returned with a graded 9 mint condition and placed on auction right after. Goldin Auctions added that they expect Williamson’s Logoman card to hit $750,000 once it has been auctioned on January 11.</p><p>This huge pull goes to show that there’s a lot of value to be had just by joining box breaks. Although there’s always the risk to go along with it, there’s also the chance to hit it big. Just ask that Australian fan about it and he’ll soon show you how a box break can change your life in an instant.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Zion Williamson 1-of-1 card up for auction expected to fetch insane payout

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px;    font-size: 18px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px;    font-size: 16px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: #0000FF;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 16px;    text-decoration: none;}ul {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 16px;}ol {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    padding: 0px 0px 0px 15px;    font-size: 16px;    border-left: 2px solid black;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 12px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;    background-color: #EFEFEF;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article><header><figure><img src="https://clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Zion-Williamson-Pelicans.jpg"></figure><h1>Video: Zion Williamson destroys rim with vicious dunk</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2021-01-08T19:26:09-08:00">January 8th, 7:26pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2021-01-08T19:26:09-08:00">January 8th, 7:26pm</time><address><a>Kriel Ibarrola</a></address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>By now, it’s no secret that New Orleans Pelicans forward <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/pelicans-news-lonzo-ball-links-up-with-zion-williamson-for-halfcourt-alley-oop/">Zion Williamson can dunk</a>. Still, it’s hard not to be in awe each time he throws one down hard against the teeth of the defense. The 6-foot-6 athletic wonder put on another aerial assault on Friday, punishing the Charlotte Hornets’ defense with impunity.</p><p>Around the nine-minute mark of the third period, the former Duke standout caught a nice dish from Eric Bledsoe and decided it was time for another Zion special. He took off from just right inside the free throw line and proceeded to stuff a vicious two-handed hammer right over the top of PJ Washington.</p><p>The sheer force of Williamson’s jam had the entire rim shaking afterward.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Zion grown man slam 😲💪 <a href="https://t.co/yMMPHCo4WK" target="_blank">pic.twitter.com/yMMPHCo4WK</a></p><p>— ESPN (@espn) <a href="https://twitter.com/espn/status/1347726772532432897?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank">January 9, 2021</a></p></blockquote><p></p></figure><p>But while Williamson arguably had the best highlight of the night, he couldn’t lead his team to the W. The Pelicans got outplayed by the visitors in the second half as the Hornets completed a 118-110 win. Williamson did some damage though, tallying 26 points n 12-for-22 shooting from the field, eight boards, and three assists.</p><p>But they were helpless against the Hornets’ balanced attack led by Gordon Hayward’s 26 points and Miles Bridges’ 20 markers. Williamson and the Pelicans fell to 4-5, while the Hornets now also have the same win-loss slate.</p><p>As great as Zion Williamson has been in his second year so far, the young NOLA team is still plagued by inconsistencies. After finishing second in the Rookie of the Year race last year, Williamson has <a href="https://tv5.espn.com/nba/player/gamelog/_/id/4395628/zion-williamson">maintained that momentum</a>, averaging 22.2 points on 56.0 field goal shooting, 8.0 rebounds, and 1.3 steals.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Video: Zion Williamson destroys rim with vicious dunk

Coby White

Hamidou Diallo

Marcus Morris

Deandre Ayton

Zion Williamson

Jordan Bell

Jeff Green

Derrick Jones Jr.

Wesley Matthews

Miles Bridges

2019-20 All-Rookie

https://twitter.com/Zionwilliamson/status/1278385242672377857/

The Next Generation is here 💪🏾 Hyped to be on the cover of #NBA2K21 Next Gen @NBA2K 

https://twitter.com/Zionwilliamson/status/1271217519269994497/

https://twitter.com/Zionwilliamson/status/1237459331211132928/

Lot of respect for what @Gatorade is all about. I’m loving getting the chance to build with them alongside some of the best athletes out here.  Then. Now. Forever. #GatoradePartner https://twitter.com/Zionwilliamson/status/1237459331211132928

https://twitter.com/Zionwilliamson/status/1228492236058497027/

Let’s do this Chicago 🔥 I’m stopping by @mountaindew Courtside Studios at 950 W Fulton St tomorrow at 11am, make sure to get here early to get in on the exclusive action all weekend long #DEWxNBAALLstar https://t.co/BdmQRlqt6E

https://twitter.com/Zionwilliamson/status/1195369760478896129/

My newest card in @NBA2KMobile 🔥
Run with me and the rest of the rookie class now ➡️ https://t.co/NFd36he9n4 https://t.co/iYYi5CGTMX

Zion
Williamson

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