Murray scores 13 in return as Warriors Vs Pelicans ends 113-109 in New Orleans
Dejounte Murray returned from a ruptured right Achilles and scored 13 in a 113-109 win in a warriors vs pelicans matchup in New Orleans, a comeback that arrives with 23 games left on the Pelicans’ schedule.
Murray’s comeback laid out on the court
Fewer than 20 seconds into his first game in nearly 13 months, Dejounte Murray converted a slashing layup, and he capped his 13-point night with another driving layup off the glass to give the New Orleans Pelicans a five-point lead with 1: 04 to go in a 113-109 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night. Murray’s playing time was limited to 25 minutes in his comeback from a ruptured right Achilles tendon, and he assisted on three baskets, grabbed a couple of rebounds and had a steal while also committing five turnovers.
Murray’s long road back
Murray described a dark stretch of his life and career: “A dark cloud” hovered above him and “Everything, ” he says, “was just dark. ” It was June 2024 when the Atlanta Hawks had just traded him to New Orleans amid excitement about forming a trio with Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram. His recent seasons included an All-Star nod with San Antonio in 2022, a trade to Atlanta in June 2022, a first-game left-hand fracture that required surgery and caused him to miss 17 games, and then a season-ending ruptured right Achilles tendon in January 2025. A medical professional had questioned his ability to bounce back at all; Murray completed a year-long rehab from what the coverage calls one of the toughest injuries in sports and said it had been “literally the worst three months of my professional career on and off the floor. ”
How teammates, coach and family marked the moment
Pelicans coach James Borrego said he made sure to save some of Murray’s minutes for closing time, calling the performance a sign Murray “looked like his old self. He didn't miss a beat. ” Borrego added, “For that to be his first game, I felt him on both ends of the floor.... He was fantastic. Really proud of him and just happy for him to embrace this moment. ” When the game ended Murray’s daughter ran onto the court and hugged him; Borrego said when Murray reached the locker room, “his teammates just shouted him out” and described it as “a massive celebration in there for him -- the journey he's been on, the year he had. ” Murray said the celebration “was great, but I'm ready for the next game, ” and added plainly, “I'm hungry, ” and “I'm starving. ”
Warriors Vs Pelicans: game flow and missing faces
The final score was 113-109 as the Pelicans took control in the final moments. The game was uneven: an ugly first half in which the Warriors were unable to buy a bucket gave way to a second-half surge in which Golden State roared back and took the lead before losing its rhythm down the stretch. The Warriors were shorthanded and played without Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler III, Kristaps Porziņģis and Al Horford, and they ultimately came up just short against an opponent that had welcomed Dejounte Murray back after more than a year on the sidelines. The matchup also featured an emotional reunion against an old friend, Jordan Poole.
Warriors standouts and stats
Moses Moody scored 24 points in 34 minutes with 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 turnover and 5 fouls, shooting 7-for-13, 4-for-10 on threes and 6-for-8 on free throws for a 72. 6% TS and a +13 plus-minus; he drew eight free throws after taking three shots inside the arc and finished with the team’s best plus/minus. Santos played 39 minutes and had 15 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 3 blocks, 6 turnovers and 5 fouls on 6-for-13 shooting, 1-for-4 on threes and 2-for-2 on free throws (54. 0% TS) and a -7; his energy produced 12 rebounds and five stocks but also six turnovers. Dray played 32 minutes and finished with 11 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 blocks on 5-for-11 shooting (50. 0% TS) and a +8, and he was credited with playing strong defense on Zion Williamson, who scored a team-high 26 points but needed 21 shots and five free throws to get there; Dray led the Warriors in assists. De’Anthony Melton dropped 28 points in 28 minutes with 4 rebounds and 3 assists, shooting 8-for-21, 3-for-10 on threes and 9-for-11 on free throws (54. 2% TS) and a +9, and there were stretches when Melton was the only Warrior capable of getting a bucket.
The Pelicans have 23 games left this season, and Murray said he is ready to keep playing. He told reporters, “I've been through a lot, ” and added, “I keep my chest out, chin up, smiling. And I'm just ready to see where it goes from here. ”
