Zion Williamson injury: Pelicans star exits in crunch time vs. Lakers with 'left leg soreness'

In the first game of the 2024 postseason, we already had our first gut-wrenching injury. With just over three minutes remaining in the Western Conference's 7-8 play-in game and the Pelicans and Lakers tied up, Zion Williamson, having just hit the 40-point mark, grimaced and motioned to the bench, and at the next timeout he left his seat and walked back to the locker room angrily. 

New Orleans coach Willie Green called the injury "left leg soreness." Williamson is set to get imaging done on Wednesday. Here's the play where Williamson appeared to injure himself. 

Williamson didn't return and the Lakers wound up winning the game 110-106 to secure the No. 7 seed in the playoffs. They will take on No. 2 Denver in the first round. 

For New Orleans, which will now face the winner of the Warriors-Kings game on Friday in a win-or-go-home matchup for the No. 8 seed, all attention turns to the extent of Williamson's injury.

No matter how it shakes out, this is brutal for the Pelicans, who had stormed back against the Lakers and had all the momentum behind Williamson, who, considering the stage, was having the best game of his NBA career. Williamson finished with 40 points, 11 rebounds and five assists.