Jeremiah Fears’ first regular-season start came with the kind of lesson that tends to arrive fast in the NBA. The New Orleans Pelicans guard got thrown into the fire in a 123-120 loss to Tyrese Haliburton’s Indiana Pacers and came out of it with a rough line: eight points on 2-of-10 shooting, including 1-of-5 from deep, plus three rebounds and one assist in 21 minutes. His minus-12 was the worst on the team.
The early trouble never really let him settle in. Foul problems cut into his first-half run, and that left Dejounte Murray to absorb the extra ball-handling and point-of-attack defensive work for 12 straight minutes. For a young guard making his first regular-season start under Jamahl Mosley, it was a harsh introduction to the next level.
That part matters because the preseason had painted a much different picture. Fears had averaged 13.3 points there and looked more comfortable steering the offense. Against Indiana, the aggression was still there, but the clean reads and efficiency didn’t follow.
Murray, meanwhile, did exactly what the Pelicans need from a veteran. He posted 23 points, seven assists, three rebounds, three blocks and two steals while committing only two fouls, a stat line that underlined the gap between promise and polish in this backcourt.
And Murray didn’t sound worried about the kid’s confidence taking a hit. He knows the league’s a quick study when a young player starts flashing real upside, and he also knows how to handle the moment when things get tight.
“It’s obvious to anyone watching that Fears has the same mindset as Chris Paul.”
“(Fears) ain't no pushover; we know that,” Murray laughed. “And we ain't going to let nobody push him over, but we also want him to stay focused, understanding what's going on with the game, the flow of the game.
We need him. We cannot do a lot if he is on the sideline.
I think that was a big jump of him earning the starting position.”
Murray also said he kept reinforcing that message during the on-court exchange.
“I kept putting it in his ear. We need you, we need you,” Murray explained. “So stay focused.”
For Fears, it was one bad night, not a verdict. The Pelicans are still early in the process, and Murray’s message was clear: keep learning, keep locked in, and keep moving forward. By season three, the scouting report might not matter much for No Fears if he keeps growing into what he can become when he’s fully dialed in.
In Other News...
Pelicans Suddenly Have A Real Center Debate On Their Hands
The Pelicans left their matchup with Indiana having something every staff would rather have than a one-sided answer at center: a real conversation. Yves Missi looked much more settled than he did in preseason, bringing energy on the glass, protecting the rim and even flashing a little passing ability while carving out a bigger role in the paint. For a team trying to sort out its rotation, that kind of step forward matters.
Derik Queen also gave New Orleans a different kind of case to weigh, playing with more discipline than he had in earlier games and doing enough across the board to stay in the mix. He kept his shot attempts under control, avoided the kind of loose stretches that can get a young big in trouble, and still impacted the game on both ends. The Pelicans may not have a final answer yet, but they suddenly have two centers making it hard to look away. [Read more 🡒]
Pelicans Let A Vulnerable Pacers Team Escape New Orleans
The Pelicans had a chance to put a vulnerable Indiana team in a tough spot early, and for stretches they did exactly that. New Orleans pushed the pace, put the Pacers on their heels in the second quarter and looked capable of turning the opener into a statement win before Indiana steadied itself and worked back into the game.
Tyrese Haliburton was right at the center of the response, giving the Pacers the kind of orchestration they needed in his first meaningful action in well over a year. He paired playmaking with scoring to keep Indiana connected, while the road team eventually found enough balance to escape New Orleans with a win and leave the Pelicans to wonder how a promising start slipped away. [Read more 🡒]
Pelicans Loss Still Revealed Something Fans Needed To See
A season opener that ends in a 123-120 loss can leave a team with a long list of what-ifs, but New Orleans still walked away with something worth keeping. Zion Williamson played with a level of conviction that had to stand out to anyone watching, finishing with 22 points and taking key shots late, while Dejounte Murray led the way with 23 points and a steady two-way impact that gave the Pelicans a real backbone for stretches of the night.
There were also encouraging signs deeper in the rotation, with Jeremiah Fears, Derik Queen and Yves Missi all turning in notable minutes against Indiana. The bigger takeaway for New Orleans is less about the final score and more about the way the offense looked with Williamson willing to assert himself when the game tightened, a development fans have been waiting to see carry over into meaningful moments. [Read more 🡒]