Zion Williamson Exits Injured, RJ Barrett Struggles in Earthquake-Shortened Game

Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett had Las Vegas buzzing Friday night at the Summer League with an atmosphere that mirrored an actual NBA game. The performances from both players during the contest didn't exactly match the hype, however, before an earthquake forced a postponement of the game.

The Pelicans held an 80-74 lead at the time of the postponement.

As for the game on the court, Williamson was removed from action after the first half following a knee-to-knee hit, according to Malika Andrews of ESPN. He posted 11 points and three rebounds in nine minutes, and the highlight of the night was Williamson ripping the ball from Kevin Knox and dunking for an easy two.

It was a grown-man play, no doubt, and even in a short night, Williamson made his impact felt.

Barrett, on the other hand, struggled. While he managed to score 10 points in 24 minutes, he shot just 4-of-18 from the field and didn't provide a signature moment like his former Duke teammate.

It was a disappointing first showing for Barrett, though on a roster with a number of talented second-year teammates like Allonzo Trier (21 points, five rebounds), Kevin Knox (17 points, eight rebounds) and Mitchell Robinson (eight points, 10 rebounds, four blocks), Barrett unsurprisingly took something of a back seat. 

He did appear to force the issue at times and play outside of the flow of the offense. 

The star of the game, however, was New Orleans guard Frank Jackson, who went off for 30 points on 5-of-9 shooting from three. 

It may have been the debut of Williamson and Barrett—and the hype was real for this one—but Jackson was the best player on the court before the earthquake interrupted the proceedings and ended the game.