Dejounte Murray’s season is over.
The former All-Star guard tore his Achilles after suffering a non-contact injury in the first quarter of the Pelicans’ 118-116 loss to the Celtics on Friday night, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported.
Murray, who missed the 2018-19 season due to a torn ACL, will now be sidelined for the remainder of the 2024-25 campaign, which has been a challenging one for the Pelicans, who are 12-37 and have dealt with a slew of injuries.
Murray, who has missed nearly 20 games already this season after breaking his hand on opening night — causing him to miss several weeks — had averaged 17.9 points, 7.6 assists, 6.5 rebounds and 2.1 steals heading into Friday.
Upon suffering the non-contact injury, medical staff immediately rushed to the court, and he was ruled out for the rest of the game immediately thereafter.
“Extremely difficult, when you see a guy that means so much to our team and puts the work in go down like that,” Pelicans head coach Willie Green told reporters after the game.
“It hurt a lot, l can’t lie to you,” added blossoming wing Trey Murphy III, who scored 40 points and made eight 3-pointers in the loss. “He’s been through a lot already, and it doesn’t help. But a lot of times God puts you through situations in order to give you a bigger message. I think that’s what’s happening right now. It’s not always easy to understand what he’s saying, but there’s always a reason.”
This injury is expected to sideline Murray for at least several months, a significant blow for the Pelicans, as they rely heavily on his dynamic playmaking and defensive presence on the perimeter.
The Pelicans have already been without stars Zion Williamson, Herb Jones and Brandon Ingram.
CJ McCollum, Jordan Hawkins, Murphy III, Jose Alvarado and others have also missed time for the Pels this year.
After the Pelicans’ early setback to Murray, the Celtics capitalized on the momentum.
Led by star wing Jayson Tatum, who drilled a game-winner in the waning seconds, Boston rallied through the contest.
The New Orleans Pelicans suffered a devastating blow as star point guard Dejounte Murray has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a torn Achilles. The injury occurred during a routine practice session, leaving fans and teammates devastated.
Murray, who was having a career year, averaging 20 points, 8 assists, and 6 rebounds per game, was a key player for the Pelicans and his absence will surely be felt on the court. The team was hoping to make a deep playoff run this season, but now their chances have taken a major hit.
Head coach Stan Van Gundy expressed his disappointment over the injury, stating, “Dejounte was a huge part of our team and losing him for the rest of the season is a tough pill to swallow. We will have to rally together as a team and find a way to overcome this setback.”
Fans took to social media to express their support for Murray, wishing him a speedy recovery and noting that he will be sorely missed on the court. The Pelicans will need to regroup and find a way to fill the void left by Murray’s absence if they hope to salvage their season.
It’s a brutal injury crusher for the Pelicans, but they will have to find a way to push forward without one of their best players. Our thoughts are with Dejounte Murray as he begins his road to recovery.
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