Zion Williamson returned on Wednesday night and the New Orleans Pelicans played better.

But the outcome remained familiar as the Denver Nuggets wore down the Pelicans and handed them their seventh consecutive defeat 125-118 on Wednesday night in the Smoothie King Center.

Williamson returned after missing the previous eight games with a strained left hamstring and gave the team an early lift, but he finished with just 14 points in 29 minutes. Rookie Derik Queen led New Orleans with a career-high 30 points, Trey Murphy scored 23 and Jeremiah Fears added 16. Karlo Matkovic was sidelined by a strained right calf.

The Pelicans (2-13) will play at Dallas, which they defeated 101-99 on the road Nov. 5, on Friday before returning home to play Atlanta on Saturday.

Nikola Jokic had 28 points, 12

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