By Rell Wright, Pelicans Contributor

In what was supposed to be a triumphant return for Zion Williamson, the New Orleans Pelicans fell 104-97 to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night. Despite the loss, the game marked a promising sign for the Pelicans’ future as Williamson looked explosive in his first action after a 27-game absence due to a hamstring strain.

Zion poured in 22 points, grabbed six rebounds, and contributed on both ends of the floor with four assists, three steals, and a block in just 27 minutes of play. However, New Orleans struggled to find consistent offensive rhythm beyond Zion and Dejounte Murray, who led the way with 27 points. The Pelicans were hampered by CJ McCollum’s uncharacteristic off-night, as he managed only one field goal in 14 attempts after his recent scoring outburst.

The turning point came midway through the third quarter, when Anthony Edwards caught fire for the Timberwolves. Edwards highlighted a dominant 19-2 Minnesota run with a pair of back-to-back three-pointers and a free throw, turning a seven-point Pelicans lead into a nine-point deficit in just four minutes. Edwards finished with 32 points, including seven triples, and was the undisputed catalyst for the Timberwolves’ victory.

Despite solid contributions from Williamson and Murray, the Pelicans couldn’t contain the Timberwolves’ balanced attack. Former Pelican Julius Randle chipped in 16 points, while ex-LSU standout Naz Reid recorded a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds. Moving forward, the Pelicans hope to build on the chemistry between their two stars, Williamson and Murray, as they prepare to host Portland on Wednesday night.