Zion Williamson scores 22 in his return to the Pelicans' lineup after missing 27 games

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Zion Williamson symbolically announced his return from a 27-game injury absence with a breakaway dunk in which he rotated 360 degrees in the air while throwing down a crowd-pleasing, double-clutch, roundhouse jam.

“The dunk was crazy just knowing how long he’s been out and to see that he could still do that,” Pelicans point guard Dejounte Murray said after the Pelicans' 104-97 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night. “I’m glad he played with the confidence and the joy."

To Williamson, attempting that dunk in his first game back from a left hamstring strain wasn't so much a bold play as “another day at the office.”

“I definitely feel like my legs are already under me," said Williamson, who scored 22 points in just under 28 minutes.

“The focus I had during this rehab was a bit more extreme,” Williamson added. “I feel like I didn’t even miss a beat, but gained a beat.”

Williamson also had six rebounds, four assists, three steals and a block on Wolves center Rudy Gobert. After a few minutes on the court, he revved up the crowd with a soaring two-handed dunk of CJ McCollum's long alley-oop lob.

“It’s incredible, his ability to impact the basketball game when he’s on the floor," Pelicans coach Willie Green said. "He had a little bit of rust, but that’s as good as I’ve seen him after being out for as long as he’s been.

"It’s a credit to Zion, the work that he’s been putting in.”

Green said Williamson was on minutes restriction that was “roughly” about the time he was in the game. But Green inserted Williamson in a starting lineup that also included Murray, marking the first time the two have played together.

Williamson's two breakaway dunks in the third quarter resulted from aggressive defensive by both of them near mid-court, swarming Minnesota's Anthony Edwards, and later Julius Randle, and poking the ball away.

“Our chemistry is there,” Williamson said.

Added Green: “That was a fun segment. That’s a small sample size of what this team is capable of."

The crowd cheered when Williamson emerged from the tunnel for warm-ups before tip-off and again when he was announced as a starter.

Williamson, the first overall pick out of Duke in the 2019 NBA Draft, had played in just six of New Orleans' previous 36 games this season, averaging 22.7 points, eight rebounds and 5.3 assists.

The Pelicans (7-30) fell to 2-5 when Williamson plays this season, but went 5-25 without him, including 4-23 during the past 27 games.

The Pelicans also have a game on Wednesday night against Portland, but Green declined to forecast whether Williamson would be cleared to play games on consecutive nights at this point in his recovery.

Williamson said he, too, would have to consult with the team about that on Wednesday.

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New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson is fouled by Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels as he drives to the basket in the second half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. The Timberwolves won 104-97. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson is fouled by Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels as he drives to the basket in the second half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. The Timberwolves won 104-97. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) moves the ball against Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels in the second half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. The Timberwolves won 104-97. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) drives to the basket ahead of Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) and forward Julius Randle (30) in the second half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. The Timberwolves won 104-97 (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) slam dunks ahead of Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) in the second half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) reacts after his slam dunk in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves in New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson, arm raised, high fives his teammates during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Washington Wizards in New Orleans, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson, third from left, celebrates during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Washington Wizards in New Orleans, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) battles for the ball against Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson shoots against Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson moves the ball around Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo (0) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson reacts to an official's call in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves in New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

DALLAS (AP) — An area stretching from Texas to Tennessee braced Wednesday for the possible arrival of freezing rain and snow even as some other parts of the U.S. hit by the plunging polar vortex this week began to shake off its icy effects.

Arkansas' capital, Little Rock, closed schools on Thursday and Friday in preparation for the storm, which could dump heavy snow on the region starting Thursday. Although conditions improved in some places affected by the frigid Arctic air that escaped its usual climes last weekend, Kansas City-area classes were canceled Wednesday for a third-straight day and Virginia's capital, Richmond, was still under a weather-related water-boil advisory through at least Friday.

The cold snap coincided with rare January wildfires that were tearing through the Los Angeles area on Wednesday, forcing residents to flee from burning homes through flames, ferocious winds and towering clouds of smoke.

A mix of sleet, snow and freezing rain is expected to fall on a stretch of the U.S. from New Mexico to Alabama starting Wednesday night and early Thursday, with the heaviest amounts likely in parts of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas, according to the National Weather Service. In the most southern locations, the snow could turn into sleet and freezing rain, which meteorologists warn could cause hazardous driving conditions.

That system is expected to push northeastward by Friday with a mix of heavy snow and freezing rain forecast from southeastern Oklahoma and northeastern Texas all the way to the Virginia and North Carolina coasts.

The polar vortex of ultra-cold air usually spins around the North Pole, but it sometimes ventures south into the U.S., Europe and Asia. Some experts say such cold air outbreaks are happening more frequently, paradoxically, because of a warming world.

In the Dallas area, crews treated the roads ahead of the expected arrival of 2 to 4 inches (about 5 to 10 centimeters) of snow on Thursday, along with sleet and rain. Up to 5 inches is expected farther north near the Oklahoma state line, the weather service said.

Mark Reid said Wednesday that he has been very busy delivering groceries for Instacart.

“I'm going to be done probably about 5 or 6 (p.m.) today and then tomorrow I'm going to be in the house," Reid said outside of a Dallas grocery store as he loaded his fourth order of the day into his car.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Wednesday that the state had deployed several emergency agencies and opened hundreds of warming centers ahead of the storm.

“The lives of our fellow Texans are by far the most important thing,” he said, warning affected residents to avoid driving if possible.

Abbott also expressed confidence in the state's power grid, which failed during an unusually cold storm in 2021, leaving more than 3 million residents without power and resulting in the deaths of more than 200 people. He said that if an outage occurs this week, it's likely due to a downed power line.

“If there is a loss of power, it’s not going to be because of the power grid,” the governor said.

The storm could make the roads slick on Friday as 75,000 fans head to AT&T Stadium in Arlington to see Texas play Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl. Arlington spokesperson Susan Shrock said crews will be ready to address any hazardous road conditions around the stadium.

“They’re going to have the salt brine, they’ll have sand and they’ll have equipment on standby,” she said.

Some parts of Kansas have received nearly an entire year's average of snow over the past few days, hitting farmers and ranchers “in ways that we haven't seen in this area for a very, very long time, potentially a lifetime,” said Chip Redmond, a meteorologist at Kansas State University.

The risk is real: Calves, especially, can die when temperatures slip below zero. And so much snow in rural areas can keep farmers from reaching herds with food and water

In northern Florida, growers were most concerned about the ferns grown for floral arrangements, with Valentine's Day only a month away.

Major damage to citrus trees, which typically occurs when temperatures drop to 28 degrees (minus 2 degrees Celsius) or below for several hours, is less likely. Most of Florida’s commercial citrus groves are far south enough that they haven't been affected by this week's recent cold snap.

Richmond will remain under a boil-water advisory until at least Friday as officials work to restore the city’s water reservoir system, which malfunctioned after a storm this week caused a power outage, Mayor Danny Avula said.

The city of more than 200,000 residents is distributing bottled water at 11 sites, and is delivering it to older residents and others who are unable to get to those sites, officials said.

Due to the problems in Richmond, the first working day of the legislative session was postponed, as the state Capitol and General Assembly buildings remained closed on Wednesday.

More than 50,000 customers were without power on Wednesday in Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Virginia and West Virginia, according to the tracking website PowerOutage.us.

More than 2,000 flights in the U.S. were delayed or canceled before midday on Wednesday, according to tracking platform Flight Aware. More than 5,000 flights into or out of the U.S. were delayed Tuesday.

Hundreds of car accidents were reported in Virginia, Indiana, Kansas and Kentucky earlier this week, and a state trooper was treated for injuries after his patrol car was hit.

Three people died in vehicle crashes in Virginia, according to state police. Other weather-related fatal accidents occurred Sunday near Charleston, West Virginia, and Monday in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Kansas, where over a foot (30 centimeters) of snow fell in places, had two deadly weekend crashes.

And in In Birmingham, Alabama, where temperatures fell below freezing, the Jefferson County coroner’s office said Wednesday that it was investigating three possible deaths from hypothermia that had occurred over the past 24 hours.

Murphy reported from Oklahoma City. Associated Press reporters Heather Hollingsworth in Kansas City; Nadia Lathan in Austin, Texas; Ben Finley in Norfolk, Virginia; Andrew DeMillo in Little Rock, Arkansas; Kimberly Chandler in Montgomery, Alabama; Chris O’Meara in Tampa, Florida; in John Raby in Cross Lanes, West Virginia; Dylan Lovan in Louisville, Kentucky; Julie Walker in New York; contributed.

Read more of the AP’s climate coverage at http://www.apnews.com/climate-and-environment

Pedestrians bundle up as they walk along the shore of Lake Michigan at Montrose beach during cold weather in Chicago, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Snow covers the shore of Lake Michigan during cold weather in Evanston, Ill., Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Pedestrians bundle up as they take a walk during cold weather in Evanston, Ill., Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Leaves are frozen in the ice of the Arrington Lagoon Fountain during cold weather in Evanston, Ill., Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Samuel Sotelo moves branches as cold temperatures and a lawn sprinkler create icicle on a tree ahead of a winter storm expected to hit the North Texas region later tomorrow Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, in Richardson, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

A sculpture is seen in the Arrington Lagoon Fountain during cold weather in Evanston, Ill., Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Cold temperatures and a lawn sprinkler create icicle on a tree ahead of a winter storm expected to hit the North Texas region later tomorrow Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, in Richardson, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

A cyclist rides through a park in Montreal, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)

A harbor light is covered by ice at the church street power boat ramp on during cold weather in Evanston, Ill., Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Students board a USD265 school bus on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025 in Wichita, Kan. (Jaime Green/The Wichita Eagle via AP)

Cold temperatures and a lawn sprinkler create ice on grass ahead of a winter storm expected to hit the North Texas region later tomorrow Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, in Richardson, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Cold temperatures and a lawn sprinkler create icicle on a tree ahead of a winter storm expected to hit the North Texas region later tomorrow Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, in Richardson, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

A brine truck leaves the Texas Department of Transportation Dallas Southwest lot as crews prepare the roads ahead of a winter storm expected to hit the North Texas region, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Cedar Hill, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Cary Fallath, the BMW Store lot technician, clears snow from new cars in Silverton, Ohio, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

The BMW Store lot technician Cary Fallath clears snow from new BMWs in Silverton, Ohio, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

A man uses a blower to clear snow from a sidewalk as a winter storm sweeps over the intermountain West and across the country Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in southeast Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

A sign warns drivers of ice prevention operations ahead of a winter storm expected to hit the North Texas region later this week, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

A man uses a snowblower to clear a sidewalk as a winter storm sweeps over the intermountain West and across the country Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

A motorist clears now off a four-wheel-drive vehicle before taking to the roads as a winter storm sweeps over the intermountain West and across the country Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Motorists survey damage done to a utility vehicle in a crash at an intersection as a winter storm sweeps over the intermountain West and across the country Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in southeast Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

A lone vehicle moves along ice-covered Bonnie Brae Boulevard as a winter storm sweeps over the intermountain West and across the country Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Workers labor on a brine truck at the Texas Department of Transportation Dallas Southwest lot as crews prepare the roads ahead of a winter storm expected to hit the North Texas region, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Cedar Hill, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

A worker is bundled up in near-freezing temperatures as he loads into a salt spreading truck at the Texas Department of Transportation Dallas Southwest lot as crews prepare the roads ahead of a winter storm expected to hit the North Texas region, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Cedar Hill, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Cary Fallath, the BMW Store lot technician, clears snow from new cars in Silverton, Ohio, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

People board a bus to an overnight shelter during a winter storm, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)

Taylor Mcilwain uses a snow brush to clear snow from around her car in Cincinnati, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Ben Sisarsky pitches snow over a fence as he clears his girlfriend's parking spot with a borrowed snow shovel in Cincinnati, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Cary Fallath, the BMW Store lot technician, clears snow from new cars in Silverton, Ohio, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

A freeze warning sign is stands outside of an apartment complex ahead of a winter storm expected to hit the North Texas region, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

A man wearing a Venezuelan flag starts a moped as snow begins to fall again, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

A worker clears snow from an apron before guiding a Delta Air Lines jet at the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport in Romulus, Mich., Monday, Jan. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

A layer of fresh snow tops holiday lawn characters outside a home as a winter storm sweeps over the intermountain West and across the country Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

A child catches snowflakes with their tongue during El Museo del Barrio's 47th annual Three Kings Day parade, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)