The New Orleans Pelicans played without starting guard Dejounte Murray during Thursday night’s matchup against the Sacramento Kings after the player stayed home for the birth of his son.
Pelicans coach Jamahl Mosley shared the announcement with reporters prior to the opening tip, expressing support for the milestone. “Being there with his family is exciting for him,” Mosley said. “That’s something we talk about leaning into. The way we run the organization is like a family and being able to take care of these guys and him being able to stay home and take care of them. It won’t be long. I can imagine him being up all night after the game (Wednesday). It’s great news for him and for us and his family.”
Murray has established a strong statistical profile this season, averaging 17.8 points, 6 assists, and 5.8 rebounds per contest.
His absence left the team short-handed in the backcourt, as Murray was one of two guards sidelined for the contest. Guard Jordan Poole also missed the game, recovering from a left ankle sprain sustained during Wednesday’s defeat against the Denver Nuggets.
To compensate for the missing personnel, the Pelicans adjusted their lineup for Thursday’s game, giving starting nods to Jeremiah Fears, Herb Jones, Trey Murphy, Zion Williamson, and Karlo Matkovic. The assignment marked the first start of the season for both Jones and Matkovic.
