Zion Williamson has been ruled out for Saturday's game versus the Dallas Mavericks, Tim MacMahon of ESPN reports. The Pelicans played on Friday night against the Denver Nuggets, so Williamson is being held out Saturday for rest. Dallas will also be without one of their superstars, as Luka Doncic is out Saturday due to an ankle injury.

New Orleans was defeated 125-113 by the Nuggets Friday. The loss snapped a two-game winning streak for the Pelicans. They are now 2-1 on their current road trip.

Playing without Williamson against a Mavericks team that has performed well in recent action will be a challenge, however.

Zion Williamson's impact on Pelicans in 2023-24

Everyone around the NBA world understands that Zion Williamson has immense potential. Injuries have held him back in recent years, though.

The Pelicans' decision to sit Williamson for the second of a back-to-back is not surprising given his injury history. New Orleans believes they can seriously compete in the Western Conference, but keeping Williamson healthy will certainly be of the utmost importance.

The Pelicans star is currently averaging 22 points per game on 58.4 percent field goal shooting. He is also recording 5.9 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game.

New Orleans features enough depth to still challenge the Mavs on Saturday night. But with the way Kyrie Irving has been playing as of late, the Pelicans cannot afford to fall too far behind on the road in this clash.

Tip-off for Saturday's Pelicans-Mavericks game is scheduled for 8:30 PM EST in what should be an exciting affair.