NEW YORK, May 8 ― New Orleans Pelicans star forward Zion Williamson will be sidelined indefinitely with a fractured left ring finger, the NBA team announced yesterday.

The setback came as the Pelicans, chasing a play-in game position in hopes of reaching the playoffs, began a five-game road trip at Philadelphia yesterday.

The team said in a statement that Williamson underwent a series of diagnostic tests Thursday and a CT scan revealed the broken finger, with more evaluation needed to determine a treatment plan and return timetable.

Williamson ranked ninth in the NBA in scoring with 27.0 points a game and also has grabbed 7.2 rebounds and passed off 3.7 assists a game.

At 30-36, the Pelicans rank 11th in the Western Conference with the top 10 having a chance to compete in the post-season. They are 1 1/2 games behind 10th-place San Antonio and three games behind ninth-place Memphis with six games remaining. ― AFP