The Pelicans head into Monday’s matchup at Chase Center trying to steady a season that has slipped to 4-6, but they’ll have to do it without one of their most important two-way pieces.
Trey Murphy III has been officially ruled out for the game against the Warriors because of bilateral patellar tendinopathy, according to a post on X by Marc Stein. It’s a tough blow for New Orleans, especially with the team coming off back-to-back losses after a four-game winning streak.
Murphy has been a steady presence in the Pelicans’ starting group, starting nine of their 10 games and averaging 15.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists. He’s also shooting almost 38% from three and sits third on the team in scoring, behind Zion Williamson and Jeremiah Fears, who is just ahead of him at 15.8 points per game.
Beyond the numbers, Murphy’s absence matters because of what he brings on the perimeter. He’s been one of New Orleans’ key defenders on the outside, and the timing isn’t ideal after he put up a game-high 26 points last time out against the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Pelicans have already shown one possible replacement pattern when Murphy missed the game against the Utah Jazz, with head coach Jamahl Mosley starting Herbert Jones and giving Saddiq Bey extra minutes.
New Orleans will also be without several other players for the trip, including Yves Missi and Trendon Watford, while Jaron Pierre Jr. and Malik Dua are out because of G League assignment. Murphy is the only starter the Pelicans are missing.
Golden State has its own injury list to manage. Jimmy Butler and Kristaps Porzingis remain long-term absentees, while Moses Moody and Will Richard have also been ruled out. Gui Santos is probable, and Gary Payton II is questionable because of left knee inflammation.
Even with those issues, the Warriors have stayed competitive and come in at 7-3, giving them confidence as they look to add another win at home.
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Sunday in New Orleans brought the kind of split-screen sports day fans around here know all too well. The Saints edged the Browns in overtime, while the Pelicans ran into a rough night against the Clippers, a reminder that the citys football and basketball fortunes do not always move in lockstep.
It was the 75th time the Saints and Pelicans, or Hornets before them, have taken the floor and field on the same day, and the history has been mixed enough to keep every shared date interesting. There are still more chances this season for both teams to line up on the same calendar day, which means New Orleans fans may get another swing at one of those rare afternoons when the whole city feels like it is winning together. [Read more 🡒]
Pelicans Waste Strong Zion Night With A Problem They Usually Avoid
Zion Williamson gave New Orleans a strong night, Jeremiah Fears and Trey Murphy added their own bright spots, and still the Pelicans walked away with a 139-123 loss to the Clippers on the second night of a skid. It was the kind of game that can leave a team frustrated because the individual production was there, but the bigger picture never quite came together.
What usually separates New Orleans from nights like this is the support around its top options, and that part never showed up against Los Angeles. The Pelicans were loose with the ball, struggled to string together clean possessions, and never found the kind of balance that can turn a good offensive performance into a win, which makes the next stop against the Warriors feel like an early test of how quickly they can clean things up. [Read more 🡒]