Warriors Vs Pelicans — warriors vs pelicans: Murray’s return and a 113-109 Pelicans win

Dejounte Murray returned after more than a year on the sidelines as the New Orleans Pelicans beat Golden State 113-109 in a Tuesday matchup framed by warriors vs pelicans. The game mattered not only for the final score but because it followed a year of injuries and personal crises for Murray and an improvised Golden State lineup that rallied late but fell short.

Warriors Vs Pelicans final moments and game flow

The Pelicans prevailed 113-109, after an ugly first half in which the Warriors could not buy a bucket. Golden State roared back in the second half and briefly took the lead, but the team lost its rhythm down the stretch and New Orleans took control in the final moments. The matchup featured an emotional return for Dejounte Murray after more than a year off the court, and the Pelicans were described as fairly healthy for the contest. Golden State ultimately came up just short against old friend Jordan Poole.

Dejounte Murray’s trade history and expectations in New Orleans

Murray was traded in June 2024 from the Atlanta Hawks to New Orleans amid expectations that he would help turn around the Pelicans by forming a trio with Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram. He had been averaging a career high in points in Atlanta after receiving an All-Star nod with San Antonio in 2022. Murray was drafted at the end of the first round by the Spurs in 2016 and had been traded to Atlanta in June 2022, shortly after his All-Star breakthrough, where he sought to form a backcourt duo with Trae Young.

Personal crises and injuries that preceded Murray’s comeback

Murray described feeling “heavy” and said “a dark cloud” hovered above him; “Everything, ” he said, “was just dark. ” He recounted that his mother had a stroke a week before his first game of the 2024-25 season, and that he flew to see her in Seattle, where he grew up; she could barely speak and was helpless in the hospital. In the first game he broke his left hand, underwent surgery and missed 17 games. Then in January 2025 he suffered a season-ending ruptured right Achilles tendon. Murray called that stretch “literally the worst three months of my professional career on and off the floor” and said, “I was never able to focus on basketball. ” He also said, “A lot of people don’t know, a lot of stuff in life went downhill, ” and added that he has “been going through obstacles since I was like 5 years old, ” noting he was forced to operate like an adult at age 11.

Murray’s rehab, medical doubts and Tuesday availability

Murray completed a year-long rehab journey from one of the toughest injuries in sports after a ruptured right Achilles tendon, and a medical professional questioned his ability to bounce back at all. He said he finally let himself feel the weight of those events and unload his grief, and he did not stay down for long. Murray was listed as probable to return Tuesday for the Pelicans’ game, making his availability a central storyline for the matchup.

Moses Moody and De’Anthony Melton light up the scoreboard

Moses Moody had a strong outing: 34 minutes, 24 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 turnover, 5 fouls, 7-for-13 shooting, 4-for-10 threes, 6-for-8 free throws, a 72. 6% true-shooting percentage and a +13; he earned an A grade and post-game bonus recognition for the best plus/minus on the team. De’Anthony Melton played 28 minutes and scored 28 points with 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 3 turnovers and 4 fouls, shooting 8-for-21 with 3-for-10 threes and 9-for-11 free throws for a 54. 2% true-shooting percentage and a +9. The coverage noted there were stretches when Melton was the only Warrior capable of getting a bucket.

Gui Santos, Dray’s contributions and Zion Williamson’s line

Gui Santos logged 39 minutes with 15 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and 3 blocks but also had 6 turnovers and 5 fouls, shooting 6-for-13 for a 54. 0% true-shooting percentage and finishing with a -7. Dray recorded 32 minutes, 11 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 blocks, 1 turnover and 2 fouls on 5-for-11 shooting for a 50. 0% true-shooting percentage and a +8, and he led the team in assists as a post-game bonus. On the Pelicans’ side, Zion Williamson scored 26 points but needed 21 shots and five free throws to reach that total. Entering Tuesday’s games, league average true-shooting percentage was 57. 9%.