In April, the New Orleans Pelicans’ 2023-24 season ended with Zion Williamson in street clothes. Williamson was unable to participate in the team’s first-round series against the Oklahoma City Thunder due to a hamstring strain.

On Wednesday, the Pelicans’ 2024-25 season began without Williamson on the sidelines. He missed the team’s opening game against the Chicago Bulls due to illness.

“Right now it’s kind of a virus,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said. “Something like that.”

Even without Williamson, the Pelicans beat the Bulls. CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram combined for 56 points as New Orleans defeated Chicago 123-111 at the Smoothie King Center.

The Pelicans are 1-0. They travel west for two games against the Portland Trail Blazers, followed by two games against the Golden State Warriors. Green didn’t know if Williamson could accompany the team.

“We’re hopeful,” Green said. “We don’t know yet.”

Green opted for a starting lineup of Dejounte Murray, McCollum, Herb Jones, Ingram and Daniel Theis – the same five players who started the team in the preseason finale.

McCollum paced the Pelicans offensively early. New Orleans had a one-point lead at halftime and then raced into the lead early in the third quarter by repeatedly turning Chicago over and scoring in transition.

With 8:17 left in the quarter, Murray and Theis forced the Bulls into a bad pass. Murray threw the ball behind his back to McCollum, who was waiting in the left corner. McCollum made the shot that extended New Orleans’ lead to 10 points.

McCollum ranked third in the NBA in 3-pointers made per game last season. In the first game of his 12th NBA season, he shot 5 of 11 from behind the arc.

McCollum received plenty of support from Ingram in the second half. The Pelicans forward scored eight points in the first five minutes of the fourth quarter.

Ingram said during training camp that he wanted to shoot more 3-pointers this season and went 3 of 5 from long range on Wednesday. He finished the game with a game-best 33 points.

The Pelicans forced the Bulls into 21 turnovers, which they converted into 30 points. With 6:58 minutes left in the game, backup Javonte Green grabbed Zach LaVine and ran across the floor for a dunk.

Green scored nine of the Pelicans’ 43 bench points. Rookie Yves Missi was one of two New Orleans reserves to score in double figures. In his first NBA game, Missi contributed 12 points, seven rebounds, one steal and three blocks. When he left the game for the final time 4:19 into the fourth quarter, the crowd gave him a loud ovation.

Sophomore guard Jordan Hawkins had 13 points off the bench.