Pelicans forward Zion Williamson showed no signs of injury in Friday’s win over Indiana, in which he scored a season-high 34 points. However, he was added to the team’s injury report on Sunday due to right hamstring tightness and has now missed two straight games, with both Pelicans losses, as NOLA.com’s Christian Clark details.

“I don’t know exactly how it happened,” head coach Willie Green said of Williamson’s injury, which was listed Monday as right thigh soreness. “He showed up. He said he felt something. We wanted to make sure we could look at it.”

Already missing Dejounte Murray, C.J. McCollum, Herbert JonesAnd Trey Murphy Due to long-term injuries, the Pelicans have had to transfer little-used reserves to the rotation Brandon Boston, Jeremiah Robinson-Earlnewcomer Yves Missiand newly signed Jaylen Nowell among those playing big minutes this week. The shorthanded team has dropped back-to-back games at home, losing by 15 points to Atlanta on Sunday and to Portland by 18 points on Monday.

While New Orleans desperately needs a healthy Williamson back on the field to end its skid, Green admitted Monday he’s unsure of the timeline for his star forward’s return.

“He wasn’t at the game” Green told reporters. ‘On doctor’s orders. Because of the hamstring and quad. Tonight we kept him at home.”

Here’s more from the Southwest:

• After signing a five-year, $185 million rookie scale extension the day before the regular season started, Missiles center Alperen Sengun got off to a slow start this fall, making just 38.6% of his field goal attempts through six games. Before Monday’s game, he made it clear he wasn’t concerned about his low shooting percentage, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required). “I’m not worried about it. Those shots are easy shots for me.” Sengun said. “These are shots that I have made all three years. So I guess it’ll just come back and I’ll make that one. The big man made good on that promise by scoring 25 points on 11-of-15 shooting in a win over New York on Monday. He also contributed 14 rebounds, five assists and four blocks in what was his best game of the season so far.
• Outsiders center Dereck Lively IIwho missed Monday’s loss to Indiana due to a right shoulder sprain, will undergo an MRI on that shoulder, head coach Jason Kidd told reporters. However, sources have expressed optimism that Lively’s injury is not significant, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon (Twitter link).
• Ahead of his second game as the Tracks‘acting head coach, Mitch Johnson said Monday that he “does not have the freedom” to discuss Greg Popovich‘s possible return timeline, but downplayed the severity of Popovich’s health problem. “Right now, his health is priority number 1,” Johnson said, according to ESPN’s Michael C. Wright. “We support him 100 percent in that and I spoke to him last night. He’s in a good mood. He’s doing great, and we can’t wait to have him back.”