Google News
In a thrilling match-up, the New Orleans Pelicans emerged victorious against the Portland Trail Blazers on their home court, with a final score of 127-110. The Pelicans dominated from the start, establishing a commanding lead by halftime and never looking back.
A Night to Remember
Trey Murphy, the Pelicans' 2021 first-round draft choice, had a standout performance, leading the team to victory with 41 points. His diverse scoring abilities were on full display, and he capped off the game with a thunderous dunk.
Coach Willie Green was effusive in his praise of the young star, saying, "He’s a shot-maker and he’s having an unbelievable year. I’m extremely proud of him”. “My game is a very diverse game," Murphy said. "I can score in many different ways.
So, I guess ending with an exclamation point like a dunk is pretty cool”. McCollum also had a strong outing, putting up 22 points and 11 assists for a double-double performance. Meanwhile, the Trail Blazers were led by Simmons, who scored 17 points.
Portland Struggles Without Lillard
The Trail Blazers faced an uphill battle from the start, playing without their star guard and leading scorer Damian Lillard, who was sidelined due to tightness in his right calf. Jusuf Nurkic, who had recently returned from injury, also underperformed, never making a field goal in five attempts and grabbing only two rebounds in just 10 minutes of play.
Coach Chauncey Billups expressed disappointment in the team's lack of aggression and adjustments, saying, “Trey Murphy had a night; guys are going to have a night, but we didn’t challenge him enough. We didn’t try to be aggressive at all and we didn’t make the adjustments.
Those are the things that are difficult for me as a coach”. With the win, the Pelicans move to 10th place in the Western Conference with a 33-35 record, while the Trail Blazers fall to 13th place with a 31-37 record.
The two teams remain in direct competition for a spot in the playoffs, and this defeat will undoubtedly sting for the Portland squad.