Zion Williamson and Dejounte Murray performed collectively on the identical group in a sport for the primary time on Tuesday night time.
Each gamers have missed important time resulting from accidents, however they gave a glimpse of what the New Orleans Pelicans envisioned once they traded for Murray from Atlanta within the offseason — though the duo’s first sport collectively resulted in a 104-97 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Pelicans, who’ve the worst file within the Western Convention, may have an opportunity to construct on that efficiency once they host the Portland Path Blazers on Wednesday.
“That is a small pattern measurement of what this group is able to,” Pelicans coach Willie Inexperienced mentioned. “Now we have to attempt to string collectively extra video games like that and put collectively some wins.”
Williamson returned from a 27-game absence resulting from a strained hamstring to complete with 22 factors, six rebounds, 4 assists and three steals in 27-plus minutes. It was simply his seventh sport of the season.
“I really feel like my legs are already beneath me,” Williamson mentioned. “Now it is simply getting right into a sport rhythm. I haven’t got time to take three to 5 video games to get that. I’ve obtained to determine it out as shortly as attainable.”
Murray had a season-high 29 factors, six assists and 6 steals.
“I believe I’ve proved that is what I do,” Murray mentioned of breaking down defenses, “so I believe it is rubbing off on (Williamson). He is being lively, and that is nice to see.”
The Blazers, in the meantime, are coming off a 118-115 loss at Detroit on Monday night time. They outscored Detroit 28-23 within the first quarter and led by as many as 22 factors within the second earlier than letting the margin and the sport slip away.
“We’re simply form of making an attempt to determine one another out, particularly at the start of the sport,” mentioned guard Anfernee Simons, who scored a season-high 36 factors.
“I won’t be ultra-aggressive, however I am nonetheless making an attempt to make each single proper play and make performs to get any individual else going. I belief myself to get going finally.”
Simons undoubtedly obtained going, scoring 17 factors by making 7 of 8 pictures from the ground within the last interval.
“I attempt to take my time in the course of the sport,” Simons mentioned. “And the third and fourth quarters are after I begin to set up myself. I am making an attempt to form of impose my will on the sport simply by studying the entire sport all through the sport. I all the time say the fourth quarter is my time to get going.”
Simons leads Portland in scoring with a mean of 18.6 factors per sport and is tied with Scoot Henderson for the lead in assists (5.1).
The season is not midway over, however New Orleans and Portland already are wrapping up their season collection, having performed 3 times within the first two weeks of the season.
They break up a two-game set in Portland in the course of the first week because the Pelicans received 105-103 on Oct. 25 and the Blazers captured a 125-103 victory two days later. Portland additionally beat host New Orleans 118-100 on Nov. 4.
–Discipline Stage Media