Warriors Vs Pelicans: warriors vs pelicans — Murray scores 13 in return from Achilles injury as Pelicans win
In New Orleans, the warriors vs pelicans matchup ended with the New Orleans Pelicans beating the Golden State Warriors 113-109 on Tuesday night after Dejounte Murray returned from a ruptured right Achilles tendon and scored 13 points in his first game in nearly 13 months. Murray’s minutes were limited, but his late driving layup off the glass gave New Orleans a five-point lead with 1: 04 to go.
Murray’s return and remarks
Dejounte Murray converted a slashing layup fewer than 20 seconds into his first game in nearly 13 months and finished with 13 points. He capped off that 13-point performance with another driving layup off the glass that gave the Pelicans a five-point lead with 1: 04 remaining 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. He assisted on three baskets, grabbed a couple of rebounds and had a steal, but also committed five turnovers. After the game Murray said, "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. " He also said his teammates' celebration "was great, but I'm ready for the next game, " and that "I'm hungry" and "I'm starving. "
Warriors Vs Pelicans game flow
The game was uneven. It featured an ugly first half in which the Warriors struggled to score, followed by a second-half rally in which Golden State took the lead. In the final stretch the Warriors lost their rhythm and the Pelicans took control. The final margin was 113-109 in favor of New Orleans.
Coach and teammate reactions
Pelicans coach James Borrego said, "He looked like his old self. He didn't miss a beat, " and 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. " Borrego also said that 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. " Zion Williamson, who scored a team-high 26 points, noted Murray's on-court communication and leadership and said, "He has a way of just keeping everybody engaged, even when you get frustrated. " When the game ended, Murray's daughter ran onto the court and hugged her father.
Warriors player grades and stats
The Warriors were missing several regulars and still pushed New Orleans. Golden State played without Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler III, Kristaps Porziņģis, and Al Horford. Moses Moody played 34 minutes and had 24 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 turnover, 5 fouls, shooting 7-for-13 with 4-for-10 from three and 6-for-8 free throws, a 72. 6% true-shooting percentage and a +13 plus/minus; the assessment noted he drew eight free throws and earned an A grade and the best plus/minus on the team. Gui Santos logged 39 minutes with 15 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 3 blocks, 6 turnovers, 5 fouls, shooting 6-for-13 with 1-for-4 from three and 2-for-2 free throws, a 54. 0% true-shooting percentage and a -7 plus/minus; the grading summarized his energy as chaotic but more helpful than harmful. Dray played 32 minutes and had 11 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 blocks, 1 turnover, 2 fouls, shooting 5-for-11 with 1-for-3 threes and a 50. 0% true-shooting percentage and a +8 plus/minus; he defended Zion Williamson, who scored 26 points but needed 21 shots and five free throws to get there, and Dray led the team in assists and received a B+ grade. De'Anthony Melton finished with 28 minutes, 28 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 3 turnovers, 4 fouls, shooting 8-for-21 with 3-for-10 threes and 9-for-11 free throws, a 54. 2% true-shooting percentage and a +9 plus/minus; there were stretches when Melton was the only Warrior getting buckets.
Personal struggles and rehab
Murray’s return followed a string of personal and medical setbacks. It was June 2024 when the Atlanta Hawks traded him to New Orleans. He described feeling weighed down by a "dark cloud, " saying, "Everything, " "was just dark. " A week before his first game of the 2024-25 season his mother had a stroke; he flew to see her in Seattle, where he grew up, and she could barely speak and was helpless in the hospital. He broke his left hand in the first game, underwent surgery and missed 17 games. In January 2025 he suffered a season-ending ruptured right Achilles tendon. He was drafted at the end of the first round by the Spurs in 2016, and after an All-Star nod with San Antonio in 2022 he was traded to Atlanta in June 2022 with hopes of forming a backcourt duo with Trae Young. Murray called the stretch he endured "literally the worst three months of my professional career on and off the floor, " adding, "I was never able to focus on basketball. " He said he has been resilient since childhood, noting, "I've been going through obstacles since I was like 5 years old, " and recalled being forced to operate like an adult at age 11 while growing up in a tough neighborhood in Seattle. A medical professional had questioned his ability to bounce back at all; Murray completed a year-long rehab journey from one of the toughest injuries in sports.
Illustration: Demetrius Robinson; photo: Stephen Lew.
One item in the available material was incomplete and unclear: the sentence fragment about Murray being "probable to return Tuesday for the Pelicans’ game against the Golden S" is unclear in the provided context.
Closing: The Pelicans have 23 games left this season, and Murray signaled his intent to play a meaningful role down the stretch as he said he was "hungry" and "starving" after his comeback performance.
