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Pelicans’ Zion Williamson blames himself for 7-year playoff failure
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- Pelicans’ Zion Williamson blames himself for 7-year playoff failure
Pelicans' Zion Williamson blames himself for 7-year playoff failure appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The New Orleans Pelicans missed the playoffs for the second straight season after finishing with a 26-56 record. The Pelicans have only been to the postseason twice in the last eight years, underscoring the mediocrity that has crippled them.
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If there was a positive to take from the team's campaign, it was the fact that Zion Williamson stayed relatively healthy. He played in 62 games, the second-most of his career. Williamson's injury history has hindered his ascent, although he is undoubtedly one of the most talented players in the NBA.
Due to his constant setbacks, the rim-rattling forward has yet to play in the playoffs, even though the Pelicans made it in 2022 and 2024, losing in the first round to the Phoenix Suns and the Oklahoma City Thunder , respectively.
The 25-year-old Williamson blamed no one but himself for his zero experience in the playoffs.
"It's frustrating getting up here every year and not being in the playoffs. I take my responsibility in that. I definitely hold myself accountable," said Williamson, who was drafted by the Pelicans as the No. 1 pick in 2019.
He shared that he will take a different approach to his training in the offseason, while also continuing to pick the brain of Joe Dumars, New Orleans ' president of basketball operations.
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"I haven't experienced the playoffs, and it's something I love to experience," said Williamson.
"Having somebody like Joe—a Hall of Famer, won multiple championships—(is huge). I'm kind of taking myself under his wing in a sense, asking, and gaining any basketball knowledge I can from him."
Williamson, a two-time All-Star, averaged 21.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.0 assists in 29.7 minutes per game this season.
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