Zion Williamson is young and healthy for his trip to MSG.
The “natural chaos,” as Josh Hart called Williamson, has appeared in 45 of the last 46 games before Tuesday night’s game against the Knicks. It’s a remarkable achievement for a player whose path to stardom has been marred by injuries and DNPs.
“He’s extremely talented,” Hart, who was Williamson’s teammate for 1 ½ seasons in New Orleans, told The Post. “When he’s locked in and focused, he’s one of the top 15 or 20 players in the league, if not more.”
After years of being respected by the NBA and scheduled for national broadcasts, Williamson, the No. 1 pick in the 2019 draft, has been largely absent this season.
He was also on a minutes limit earlier this season and his per-game averages — 21.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 59.8 percent shooting, 29.7 minutes — won’t garner postseason awards.
But Williamson is still a program and a problem the Knicks will have to deal with.
“He’s a freak of nature. I mean that with all due respect,” Hart said. “Obviously he’s explosive, the way he can move his body, and he’s got good touch on the rim. That’s going to be a challenge for us. We’ve got to make sure we’re tight. Don’t slide down. Don’t hit the floor. And try to get him to finish.”
The Pelicans (25-47) have been disappointing this season but have recently been successful as they have won 12 of their last 19 games. Unlike the Knicks’ past three opponents — the Pacers, Nets and Wizards — the Pelicans don’t. They have no incentive to lose after trading their 2026 first-round pick to the Hawks.
So the Knicks are facing a motivated team and a motivated athletic tractor in Williamson, who has only played twice for MSG as a professional – a win in 2024 and a loss in 2021.
“I think what’s most impressive is his first jump but also his second jump,” Hart said. “When I first saw him, the way he shot the ball around the rim, you’d think he was untouchable. But he’s got incredible touch. And when he doesn’t see it, he’s got a quick second jump where he can get it back and sometimes before guys even get off the floor.”
Landry Shamet has been ruled out for the second straight game and now there is an official injury name.
According to the report ofKnicks Shamet, who hurt his knee during Friday’s win over the Nets, is suffering from a tibial plateau disorder. The good news is that the injury isn’t a big deal, a league source said, and the guard is expected to miss most of the time.
Shamet watched Sunday’s win over the Wizards in street clothes, where his injury name was a sore knee.
