Zion Williamson out for game against Detroit Pistons

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson will miss Sunday's game against the Detroit Pistons because of a low back contusion. He also sat out a recent game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Williamson scored 29 points in the Pelicans' win over the Timberwolves just before his injury. He has played in only 30 games this season, averaging 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists. The Pelicans have also ruled out rookie center Yves Missi for the game due to right hip soreness. However, guard Jose Alvarado is available to play after dealing with an illness. This season, Williamson has struggled with injuries since being drafted first overall in 2019. He has played in only 214 games in his six NBA seasons and missed the entire 2021-22 season. Missi, who is 20 years old, averages 8.8 points and has the best rebounding rate on the team with 8.0 rebounds per game this season. Alvarado leads the team with 4.6 assists per game and is averaging 9.6 points this year.