NEW ORLEANS — Zion Williamson took advantage of Joel Embiid's absence and punished the Philadelphia 76ers in the paint.
Williamson scored 33 points, making all but one of his 12 shots, and the New Orleans Pelicans beat the Sixers 124-114 on Wednesday night.
“He was great. He attacked the basket,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said. "Getting to the paint was something we were big on."
The 7-foot Embiid was ruled out shortly before tip-off because of an illness, forcing Philadelphia to manage without its leading scorer, who is averaging 32 points this season and also gives the Sixers a formidable defensive presence in the paint.
When Williamson wasn't scoring in the paint, he was getting to the free throw line, where he also went 11 of 12.
He grabbed eight rebounds and added six assists, giving him at least 26 points and five assists in each of his past six games. AP