Is Zion Williamson playing tonight against Minnesota Timberwolves? Latest on former No. 1 pick’s status for back-to-back game (Nov. 18)

The New Orleans Pelicans (6-6) will face the Minnesota Timberwolves (8-3) on Saturday, Nov. 18. At the time of writing, Zion Williamson is expected to participate in the contest. New Orleans will need its superstar forward to be at his best as it faces one of the best defensive teams in the NBA.

Williamson hasn't been the Pelicans' featured offensive weapon to begin the season. He appears to be behind Brandon Ingram in the overall hierarchy of the offense and has struggled to fulfill the role at a high level. Part of the reason may be that New Orleans is concerned about building an offense around an injury-prone player.

The other part may be that Zion Williamson needs to earn his spot at the head of the Pelicans table. Nevertheless, his physicality will be needed against the Timberwolves. Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert provide their team with two fierce rim protectors that can counter most interior threats.

However, Williamson's ability to dislodge his man, force his way through the lane and produce an elite second jump when fighting for rebounds will ensure the Pelicans remain competitive in the restricted area.

Of course, Zion Williamson and his teammates will also need to find a way of slowing down Anthony Edwards. The budding star has enjoyed a hot start to the season and will prove difficult to contain.

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Zion Williamson-led New Orleans Pelicans have been dealing with injuries to begin the season

The New Orleans Pelicans haven't had the hot start they had hoped for. Injuries to multiple key contributors have held them back at times. CJ McCollum, Jose Alvarado, Trey Murphy III, Larry Nance Jr. and Herbert Jones have hit the franchise hard.

As such, the Pelicans have been rolling out makeshift lineups and forcing the coaching staff into developing short-term offensive and defensive schemes. Doing so has allowed the Pelicans to remain semi-competitive despite being so depleted.

Zion Williamson's presence has also helped the roster, giving them another star to occupy opposing defenses gameplans. Between Williamson and Brandon Ingram, the Pelicans have a two-man game they can rely on whenever they need to get a bucket. Jonas Valanciunas is also a reliable big man who can unlock defenses as a screener in the pick-and-roll.

Nevertheless, if the Pelicans don't have some of their core rotation back for the game against the Timberwolves, they will likely struggle to contain one of the most in-form teams in the NBA. Zion Williamson's presence will help, but there's no guarantee he can swing the game on his own.