Pelicans point guard Dejounte Murray injured his left hand in the fourth quarter during New Orleans’ season-opening win against the Chicago Bulls, which ended 123-111, and it is uncertain how long he will be out.
Murray didn’t talk to reporters after the game. He scored 14 points, had 10 assists, and grabbed eight rebounds while making only one turnover. He was set to have tests on Thursday to see how serious the injury is and how long he might be sidelined.
“Hopefully, he’s not out too long,” said Pelicans guard CJ McCollum. He mentioned that Murray continued playing even after saying 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 kept playing… He fought through it and did well considering the situation.”
Murray was a key addition to the Pelicans this offseason after being traded from Atlanta. The Hawks received a group of players and draft picks in return, including Pelicans 2022 first-round pick Dyson Daniels, veteran forward Larry Nance, and two future first-round picks.
Before the injury, Murray’s availability for the opener was uncertain because he had to leave the team earlier to deal with what coach Willie Green described as a family emergency.
“Dejounte had a rough week,” McCollum said. “He played well given he’d been away for so long.
“He was close to a triple-double tonight,” McCollum added. “He was great for us and will be great for us all season.”
Murray’s performance helped New Orleans manage without star power forward Zion Williamson, who was out due to illness.
New Orleans will play next on Friday night against Portland, starting a four-game road trip on the West Coast.
