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SYRACUSE, N.Y. – All signs seem to indicate the possible return of Zion Williamson.
Duke was beaten without Zion Williamson (knee sprain) for most of his match against North Carolina.
The mighty Zion Williamson (day-to-day and healing) is number one.
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Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said he had no conversations with Williamson or his family about stopping the first star. He screened the No. 1 NBA pick, who missed the 75-65 win over Syracuse on Saturday with a slight knee sprain.
Williamson was injured 36 seconds after Wednesday's loss to North Carolina.
Krzyzewski also said Duke's medical staff was cautious and that he was not "rushing" the 6-foot-7 and 282-pound star back. But Williamson, who traveled with the team on Saturday, told Krzyzewski he was eager to return.
"We would never play a child who is not ready," Krzyzewski said. "We would never play a kid who did not want to play, it's not about that, he wants to play, he likes to be in Duke, he does not like to be hurt. a wound that can be repaired in less time. " You just have to follow a protocol to make sure it's completely ready. We do not rush anything, that's why we said day-to-day because it's literally day-to-day. "
In the locker room, the players seemed to hope that Williamson would come back eventually.
Alex O 'Connell, who scored 20 points and finished 5-in-8 on the 3-point line against Syracuse, said Saturday's win proved that Duke (24-3, 12-2 ACC) had a strong team even without the Wooden Award candidate.
"As good a player as [Williamson] "We have a lot of other talented players in the team," said O Connell. "It just shows that when it comes back, we will be an even stronger team."
The guard of the Blue Devils, Tre Jones, said that resolving the Syracuse area without Williamson was difficult. Jones said the team wanted him to come back, however, only when he would be ready.
"He's in a good mood and everything," said Jones. "Nothing presses what's best for him, make sure his health comes first."
Williamson averages 21.6 points, 8.8 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, 2.2 assists and 2.2 assists this season. He also made 37% of his 3-point attempts in the ACC game.
Krzyzewski said Thursday was one of the "most difficult" days of his career. That day, he was waiting for Williamson's diagnosis while trying to understand the defeat of the previous night in North Carolina and prepare for Syracuse. In addition, Jim Boeheim, a close friend and Syracuse coach, had been involved in a fatal car accident.
He said he met individually with his players before Saturday's game and told them that they needed to be more reliable than they were against the Tar Heels. Krzyzewski said he answered the call, despite the fact that one of the best players in the country is on the bench.
"I'm really proud of my team," said Krzyzewski. "It was really nice to see."
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