Williamson was cleared to resume on‑court activity and returned Nov. 19 against the Denver Nuggets, logging 14 points, six rebounds and five assists in 29 minutes as New Orleans lost 125‑118. Since then, he’s re‑entered the rotation, most recently playing in Sunday’s game vs. the Golden State Warriors, where he scored 25 points and grabbed seven rebounds in a 104‑96 defeat.
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As New Orleans continues to weigh whether he could play on consecutive nights, given his hamstring recovery, concern has been rising over his ability to handle back‑to‑back games.
Ahead of Sunday’s game vs. the Los Angeles Lakers, the team announced that Williamson would be ruled out. He had played in the prior three games, but New Orleans is taking a precautionary approach to manage his injury.
The absence of Williamson is a huge blow for a Pelicans team that has managed just one win in their last 10 outings and faces a Lakers team riding a six-game winning streak. The team will also be without several other key contributors, including Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones, Jordan Poole, Jordan Hawkins, Karlo Matkovich, and Dejounte Murray, further testing the depth of their roster.
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With so many starters sidelined, New Orleans will need bench players and younger contributors to step up as they attempt to stay competitive against a Lakers team riding a six-game winning streak.
With Williamson sidelined, the Pelicans will probably lean more heavily on Jeremiah Fears and Saddiq Bey to provide scoring and frontcourt presence.
Related: Lakers Announce LeBron James Injury Update Before Pelicans Game
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Nov 30, 2025, where it first appeared in the NBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
