New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray (5) is helped up by teammates as he withholds his hand after being fouled during a 3-point attempt in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls in New Orleans, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
NEW ORLEANS — Pelicans point guard Dejounte Murray injured his left hand during the fourth quarter of New Orleans’ NBA season-opening 123-111 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night and his timeline for returning is uncertain.
Murray did not speak with media after the game, during which he had 14 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds while turning the ball over only once. He was scheduled to undergo imaging on Thursday to determine the extent of the injury and how long it might sideline him.
“Hopefully, he’s not out too long,” said Pelicans guard CJ McCollum, adding that Murray stayed in the game after mentioning that his hand was bothering him in the fourth quarter.
“He looked at me and said his hand didn’t feel right,” McCollum said. “He just continued to play. … He battled through, he played and played well considering those circumstances.”
Murray was the highest-profile addition to New Orleans’ lineup during the offseason, when he was traded to the Pelicans by Atlanta. The Hawks received a package of players and draft picks in return that included Pelicans 2022 first-round draft choice Dyson Daniels, veteran forward Larry Nance and two future first-round draft choices.
Murray’s status for Wednesday night’s season opener was in doubt even before his injury because he’d left the team days earlier to attend to what coach Willie Green characterized as a family emergency.
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“Dejounte had a rough week,” McCollum said. “He played well considering he’d been gone for so long.
“He basically flirted with a triple-double tonight,” McCollum added. ”He was great for us and will be great for us all season.”
Murray helped New Orleans overcome the absence of star power forward Zion Williamson, who was scratched from the lineup because of an illness.
New Orleans plays next on Friday night at Portland — the first of a four-game road trip on the West Coast.