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What does Dejounte Murray’s injury mean for Pelicans in NBA West?

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2 weeks ago

October 25, 2024

What does Dejounte Murray's injury mean for Pelicans in NBA West?

Dejounte Murray, the versatile All-Star level guard who was the prized acquisition for the New Orleans Pelicans, broke his left hand within the season opener, the group confirmed Thursday.

Murray, whom the Pelicans acquired in an offseason commerce with the Atlanta Hawks, used the hand to brace a fall late within the fourth quarter of his group’s 123-111 victory over the Chicago Bulls. He remained within the recreation, and the difficulty didn’t seem like severe till early Thursday morning, when the information concerning the harm broke.

The setback presents an early problem for Murray and a Pelicans group already managing different harm points.

How lengthy is Dejounte Murray out?

New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray (5) guards Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (0) during the second half at Smoothie King Center.

The Pelicans mentioned in an replace Thursday that medical imaging after the sport confirmed the left hand fracture and added that Murray shall be out indefinitely.

All issues Pelicans: Newest New Orleans Pelicans information, schedule, roster, stats, harm updates and extra.

ESPN was the primary to report the information.

Per the Cleveland Clinic, every hand accommodates 27 bones, and the severity of a damaged hand is determined by which bone or bones had been fractured. Murray will almost definitely must put on a splint or solid for a number of weeks whereas the bones heal. Based on the Cleveland Clinic, most damaged hand accidents require a month or two to heal.

Utilizing that as a information, essentially the most conservative timeline would have Murray returning to basketball exercise in late December, about 28 video games into the season.

What does this imply for the Pelicans within the Western Convention?

Frankly, it’s a tricky blow. Murray was introduced in to stabilize playmaking for the Pelicans at level guard, and to alleviate scoring stress off Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson.

The West, nonetheless, is loaded, and the margin for error is fairly slim. Final season, New Orleans completed seventh within the standings (49-33), securing a spot within the play-in match. The Pelicans misplaced their first recreation in opposition to the Lakers, however then topped the Kings to maneuver into the primary spherical of the NBA playoffs. Their keep was quick; the No. 1 seed Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder dispatched New Orleans in a sweep.

The excellent news for the Pelicans is that this harm occurred within the first recreation of the 2024-25 season, early sufficient for New Orleans to course right as soon as Murray returns. Nonetheless, assuming well being, the Western Convention figures to have at the least 12 groups significantly able to competing for playoff spots.

Who will step up whereas Dejounte Murray is injured?

The Pelicans have a pair choices. They may slide CJ McCollum into the place to begin guard spot, although Murray was acquired partially to permit McCollum to return to his extra pure taking pictures guard function. McCollum went 9-of-19 from the ground Wednesday night time, scoring 23 factors and including 5 assists and a pair of boards.

What complicates this additional is that Trey Murphy III, a flexible wing who can cut up time between guard and ahead, stays out together with his personal harm, a hamstring ailment. New Orleans mentioned Thursday that Murphy “has progressed effectively by the primary stage of rehabilitation” and has been cleared to start out return-to-play conditioning, with one other replace to return in two weeks.

New Orleans’ different possibility is to start out backup level guard Jose Alvarado in Murray’s place, permitting McCollum to stay on the 2-guard. Alvarado entered Wednesday night time questionable with a knee harm, however performed practically 13 minutes, going 1-for-3 from the sector – with all pictures coming from 3-point vary. He completed with three factors, three assists and one steal.

Alvarado is understood for being a pesky defender, one who usually lingers within the backcourt, undetected by offensive gamers, earlier than swooping in for a steal. His offensive ability set, nonetheless, is nowhere close to Murray’s.

Final season, for the Hawks, Murray averaged 22.5 factors, 6.4 assists and 5.3 rebounds per recreation.

How did Dejounte Murray injure his left hand?

The harm occurred late in New Orleans’ 123-111 victory. With 2:21 left to play within the recreation, and the Pelicans up 12 factors, Murray pulled up for a 3 from the highest of the important thing, earlier than he was fouled. As he tumbled to the courtroom, he used his left hand to brace his fall, touchdown awkwardly on it.

Murray then wanted assist to face up. He clearly favored his left hand and prevented placing stress on it. The difficulty initially didn’t seem like severe, as Murray hit two of three free throws and would keep within the recreation. He continued to make use of the hand to dribble and even grabbed a rebound within the minutes proper after the harm occurred. Ultimately, with the victory secured, coach Willie Inexperienced emptied the bench with a minute to play.

Murray, who had missed observe time forward of the opener to are likely to a household emergency, completed with 14 factors, 10 assists and eight rebounds.

“It was actually particular for Dejounte to be away seeing about household, and to have the ability to get again – not a ton of practices the final 4 days – and emotionally step on this ground and lead this group the way in which he did,” Inexperienced instructed reporters after the sport.