Pelicans' Williamson (knee) sits 2nd half of summer debut

Zion Williamson, the top overall pick in last month's NBA draft, did not play in the second half of the New Orleans Pelicans' first summer league game Friday in Las Vegas after taking a knee-to-knee hit in the first half. ESPN's Cassidy Hubbarth reported that the injury was to Williamson's left knee and was not expected to be serious. New Orleans reportedly was acting primarily out of caution with its star rookie.

In the first half, Williamson played nine minutes, scoring 11 points on 4-of-9 shooting. The Pelicans were down to the New York Knicks 56-49 at the half. Last season at Duke, Williamson missed the final five games of the regular season with a right knee injury after his Nike shoe blew out during a game against North Carolina.

On Friday, the summer league game was halted for good with 7:53 remaining in the fourth quarter after an earthquake shook the inside of the Thomas & Mack Center. The Pelicans led the Knicks 80-74 at the time. The play was suspended for about 30 minutes and both teams were sent to their locker rooms, with arena technicians sent to check on the safety and status of the arena's large speakers -- hanging above midcourt -- that remained swaying after the quake, according to ESPN's televised report.

Hubbarth later reported that the NBA decided to postpone the game, in addition to the Phoenix Suns-Orlando Magic game scheduled at the arena later Friday night. The summer league games at the neighbouring Cox Pavilion continued without major delay. The earthquake was reported as a 7.1 magnitude with an epicentre of Ridgecrest, Calif., which was also the epicentre of a 6.4 quake on Thursday.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)