New Orleans Pelicans Injury Report: Latest on Zion Williamson and CJ McCollum's status against Indiana Pacers (February 28)

New Orleans Pelicans may be without Zion Williamson and CJ McCollum on Wednesday for the second night of a back-to-back of their East Coast trip against the top-ranked offense, the Indiana Pacers.

The veteran guard missed his second straight game against the New York Knicks, while Zion was cleared to play after being on the injury report as questionable. The Pelicans, with five more games to play on the road, could sit out their former All-Star, giving him rest before the Pacers rematch on Friday.

Zion spearheaded the Pelicans in their 115-92 win over the New York Knicks with 21 points, five rebounds, four assists and two blocks on 7-of-15 shooting, including 7-of-8 from the free-throw line, along with Brandon Ingram and Trey Murphy combining for 50 points to snap their two-game losing streak.

What happened to Zion Williamson and CJ McCollum?

The ex-Duke star is dealing with a left foot contusion, which puts his game-time decision in doubt. The six-foot-six forward has missed 11 of 59 games this season.

Additionally, Williamson was sidelined against the LA Clippers on Jan. 5, exiting with a leg injury and not returning. He incurred a "right leg contusion" in the third quarter, prompting the Pelicans to declare him out of the game.

McCollum sustained an ankle sprain during Friday's loss to Miami, playing only 15 minutes. He missed the subsequent games on Saturday and Tuesday against the Bulls and Knicks, respectively.

However, he participated in Monday's practice session, indicating progress in his recovery. His status for Wednesday's game is yet to be confirmed, but signs of improvement are evident.

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Zion Williamson and CJ McCollum stats vs. Indiana Pacers

Zion has played the Pacers thrice, going 1-2, while McCollum has gone 10-5 in 15 appearances as a member of the Portland Trail Blazers and New Orleans Pelicans.

Williamson has averaged 22.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.7 assists with 1.6 blocks on 54.3% shooting, including 66.7% from the 3-point line. Meanwhile, McCollum has averaged 21.1 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.1 assists on 46.5% shooting, including 44.9% from beyond the arc on 7.1 attempts.

The two teams last played in the 113-93 Pelicans win on Dec. 26, 2022, playing without Williamson; McCollum scored 19 points, seven rebounds, six assists with two steals on 5-of-14 shooting, including 3-of-7 from beyond the arc.

Without Zion or McCollum, the Pelicans would face a significant challenge against the league's top offensive team, while the Pacers have a strong 19-12 home record.