Zion Williamson's first two NBA games have been much watch TV. The 2019 No. 1 pick has shown potential to be a star and New Orleans Pelicans fans have to be excited about the future. On the other hand, New Orleans is winless in Zion's two games and Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry is receiving much of the flak.
Gentry has been criticized for benching Williamson in late-game situations including the Pelicans game on Wednesday when the rookie had scored 17 straight points.
However, Gentry is confident that he is making the right decision regarding the playtime of his star rookie.
“There’s nothing wrong w/ what we’re doing… I hear every night that I’m the dumbest coach in the world. ‘Why would I take the guy out in the last five minutes?’ I’ll live w/ that knowing we’re doing the right thing,” Gentry said per Ben Golliver of the Washington Post.
In his two games, Williamson is averaging 18.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game while shooting an efficient 75 percent from the field.
Even more impressive, Williamson is putting up those stats in just 19.5 minutes per game.
Understandably, the Pelicans have been limiting Williamson's minutes as the rookie is coming off a knee surgery that sidelined the former Duke star for most of the season.
It is likely that as the season progresses, Williamson's minutes will steadily increase and the rookie will be benched less during crunch time.
In the meantime, it appears that Gentry is set in his ways and will continue the current strategy of limiting Williamson's minutes.
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