NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Zion Williamson returned to the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night against the Denver Nuggets after missing eight games with a strained left hamstring.

The Pelicans won two games without him but have since lost six straight to fall to 2-12 this season.

Williamson, who also missed a game earlier this season with a foot injury, has played in five of the Pelicans' first 14 games, averaging 22.8 points and 6.8 rebounds.

Entering Wednesday, Williamson, the No. 1 pick out of Duke in 2019, had played in 219 of 486 regular-season games in his NBA career.

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