New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray is making up for lost time.
After spending 13 months sidelined with a torn Achilles tendon, Murray has ramped up the pace in eight games since returning, a positive sign going into Monday’s home contest against the Dallas Mavericks.
Murray’s season-high mark of 27 points against the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday lasted all of two days, as he poured in 35 in Friday’s 107-105 road loss to the Houston Rockets.
Murray shot a scorching 14 of 18 from the floor, including 4 of 5 from 3-point territory. His only obvious blemish came when he stepped out of bounds with 13 seconds remaining.
New Orleans had led by four points inside the last 30 seconds, before Jabari Smith Jr.’s three and Kevin Durant’s go-ahead jumper with 7.6 seconds left sandwiched Murray’s turnover and sealed Houston’s victory.
Not that Murray’s season-best performance should be defined by that one error.
The intangibles he has brought to the Pelicans since his return from injury have been priceless.
“The intensity he’s been bringing to the game — not just the game, but practice — has been off the charts,” teammate Zion Williamson said. “It’s been great for this team. Long story short, his intensity has done numbers for us.”
Trey Murphy III (averaging 21.9 points per game), Williamson (21.4) and Murray (19.8) are the top three scorers on a New Orleans lineup at virtually full strength and, having won seven of its past 11, playing some of its best basketball of the season.
No thoughts of tanking or taking nights off here.
“It says a lot about this team,” Williamson said. “Our record (22-46) obviously isn’t where we want it to be. But for us to stay in the game (against the Rockets), even take a four-point lead late in the game, that’s big for us, because we could be at a point where dudes just want to stop playing or rest … we fought.”
Pelicans interim coach James Borrego echoed Williamson’s sentiments.
“Proud of our guys,” he said. “They continue to battle — resilient group. We battled our tail off defensively, held that team to 107. I thought our defense was gritty all night. We were physical, made it tough on them, and built a four-point lead. That’s where you want to be.”
Dallas (23-45) sits narrowly ahead of New Orleans in 12th spot in the Western Conference after overcoming a protracted run of outs with a surprising 130-120 road success over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday.
The Mavericks had lost nine of their previous 10 leading in, including a blowout 138-105 defeat to Cleveland in Dallas on Friday.
Rookie Cooper Flagg posted 27 points and 10 assists, Naji Marshall added 25 and seven, and P.J. Washington compiled 20 points, 11 rebounds and five steals.
All three earned the praise of Mavericks coach Jason Kidd.
“Coop was great,” he said of Flagg. “As you could see in the second half of the last game (Friday) against Cleveland, he’s starting to find his rhythm. He found his rhythm (Sunday) with 10 assists. Naji was great, our new center. We’re looking at P.J. at the five. Going small, I thought that got us moving — the ball movement, we got bodies moving.”
Kidd noted Washington’s return after missing a game with ankle soreness bolstered Dallas on the boards — and in other areas.
“Great hands and maybe underestimated for shot blocking,” Kidd said of Washington. “But again, being able to rebound the ball for us, he had a double-double … that’s something that we’ve struggled with as of late, rebounding the ball, giving up offensive rebounds. He really did a great job for us.”
