After the NBA All-Star break, the New Orleans Pelicans look to resume their up-and-down season in the absence of star forward, Zion Williamson. The Pelicans began the 2022-23 NBA season with the franchise’s best start, 18-8, good for the No. 1 spot in the Western Conference. Williamson was an early MVP candidate and the Pels showed strong promise for the season with the help of Brandon Ingram, averaging 22.9 points per game, and CJ McCollum, averaging 21.0 points per game.