Is Zion Williamson playing tonight against the New York Knicks? Latest injury update from New Orleans Pelicans (Oct. 28)

The New Orleans Pelicans will face the New York Knicks on October 28 and at the time of writing, Zion Williamson is expected to participate in the game. The star forward has had an opening game for New Orleans, scoring 23.0 points and grabbing 7.0 rebounds.

Williamson has reportedly spent the summer in the gym and has been working on his body and fitness in a bid to finally shed the injury bug that has haunted him throughout the early years of his career. Williamson's presence takes the Pelicans to a new level. Should he remain healthy, he could be a difference-maker in the franchise's bid to enjoy a deep postseason push.

Against the Knicks, Williamson will face a physical team with two bruising frontcourt players, Mitchell Robinson and Julius Randle. As such, Williamson will need to play at a high level and lean into his skill rather than just his sheer physicality.

Still, at such an early juncture in the season, Williamson will likely try and limit his above-the-rim play so as not to overload his knees with too much pressure.

The Knicks have gone 1-1 in their opening two games. Still, Tom Thibodeau has his roster playing a stringent brand of defense. Williamson will likely be tasked with spearheading New Orleans' offense and blowing open his opponent's coverages.

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Stephen A. Smith believes Zion Williamson can lead the New Orleans Pelicans to the NBA Finals

According to Stephen A. Smith, who was speaking on a recent episode of ESPN's "First Take," Zion Williamson is talented enough to lead the New Orleans Pelicans to the NBA Finals. However, Smith noted Williamson would need to remain healthy before he can take the next step in his career.

"He was still impressive," Smith said of Williamson's season-opening performance. "He's still Zion Williamson. All 17 field goal attempts came in the paint. He's a man-child. He attacks the basket. He's very powerful. ... He is an All-Star. He is a game-changer when he is healthy. He can lead the New Orleans Pelicans to the NBA Finals."

Williamson's presence on the court will pose a new type of issue for the New York Knicks. Having played so few games in recent years, Williamson is a fresh type of talent teams are having to account for. However, until he proves otherwise, his health will remain a big question for the Pelicans.

Still, Williamson can be a game-changing talent for his franchise, who have built their roster to accentuate his skillset.