Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks drives against Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans(Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
Zion Williamson’s defense needs to improve if the New Orleans Pelicans want to take a step forward this season.
In many ways, Zion Williamson’s rookie season was a microcosm of the struggles that the New Orleans Pelicans encountered during the 2019-20 NBA year. He was an explosive and efficient scorer, especially when New Orleans pushed the ball, but also an inconsistent and ultimately poor defender.
The New Orleans Pelicans ranked fifth in the league in points per game, a figure good enough to make the playoffs as evidenced by the four teams above them (Bucks, Rockets, Mavericks, and Clippers), but gave up a dismal 117.