Dejounte Murray’s Season-Ending Injury: A Blow to the Pelicans
In a heartbreaking turn of events for the New Orleans Pelicans, guard Dejounte Murray suffered a season-ending torn Achilles tendon during Friday night’s intense 118-116 loss to the Boston Celtics. This unfortunate news was confirmed by ESPN’s Shams Charania, leaving fans and teammates alike in shock and dismay.
The incident occurred when Murray drove into the lane, took a shot, and then chased his own miss. In a moment that seemed to freeze time, he fell to the court, clutching the area near his right foot. The sight of him hobbling towards the Pelicans bench was a grim one, and he was quickly ruled out with what the team initially described as an injury to his lower right leg.
Pelicans coach Willie Green expressed the collective sentiment of the team, saying, “Extremely difficult, when you see a guy that means so much to our team and puts the work in go down like that.” Indeed, the Pelicans have been plagued by injuries this season, with key players like Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and Herb Jones also sidelined. The team has struggled to find its rhythm, now standing at a challenging 12-37 record. Notably, Ingram, Williamson, and Murray have not shared the floor once this season, a testament to the team’s ongoing struggles.
Coach Green further commented, “Those are the challenges that we’ve been going through pretty much all season.” It’s a sentiment that resonates deeply with the Pelicans’ fanbase, who have watched their team battle adversity at every turn.
Murray’s absence will be keenly felt. Before his injury, he was averaging 17.9 points per game and led the team in assists (7.4) and steals (2.0). His recent performance had been particularly impressive, with four consecutive games of at least 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. This streak tied for the longest of his career and was the longest by a Pelicans player since Ingram in 2022.
The impact of Murray’s absence is starkly reflected in the team’s performance statistics. With Murray on the court, the Pelicans averaged 114.0 points in 30 games this season, a figure that would tie for 13th in the NBA. However, in the 18 games without him, the team averaged just 102.4 points, which would be the lowest in the league.
Teammate Trey Murphy III, who scored an impressive 40 points in the loss, shared his thoughts on the situation: “It hurt a lot, l can’t lie to you. He’s been through a lot already, and it doesn’t help. But a lot of times God puts you through situations in order to give you a bigger message. I think that’s what’s happening right now. It’s not always easy to understand what he’s saying, but there always a reason.”
As the Pelicans look to regroup and push forward, the loss of Murray is a significant setback. The team will need to rally together and find new ways to overcome the challenges that have defined their season thus far. Fans will be watching closely, hoping for a turnaround and a chance to see their team rise above the adversity.
- Dejounte Murray’s injury is a torn Achilles tendon.
- The Pelicans’ current record is 12-37.
- Murray was averaging 17.9 points per game.
- New Orleans averaged 114.0 points with Murray, 102.4 without.
Information from ESPN Research and The Associated Press was used in this report.
Originally Written by: ESPN.com
