Trey Murphy III earned the reputation of being one of the NBA's most lethal long-range threats during the first two years with the New Orleans Pelicans. The Virginia alum had to miss the first 19 games of the season after undergoing a knee procedure and has not been very accurate since returning to the rotations. Head coach Willie Green was not worried and just kept encouraging Murphy to fire away.
Murphy's slump is explainable somewhat. He's being used in different ways on the opposite side of the court this season. The 23-year-old was a serviceable reserve for the first three quarters in a 115-92 Pelicans win over the New York Knicks. He had 10 points and two made three-pointers. It was not quite a slump, but it was not a sensational performance either. Well, Murphy got hot and went with a scorched-earth strategy in the fourth quarter. He swished four three-pointers and scored 16 points in the fourth quarter to secure the victory.
Green was spotted yelling “Welcome Back!” toward Murphy during a break in the action late in the fourth quarter. The 26-point, seven-rebound, four-assist showing was a revelation. Murphy finished 9-of-14 from the field and 6-of-11 from three-point range in the road win. That kind of performance in Madison Square Garden led to a few interview requests after the game.
Pelicans' Trey Murphy III reacts to slump-busting performance
First, Jen Hale pulled Murphy aside after the final buzzer for a quick word on the court.
“Shooting the ball with confidence has been my biggest thing these last couple of games,” Murphy told Hale. “I just try to not force too much, play within my game. There were a lot of open shots. I took them and wanted to make sure I shot them with confidence, and trust my work.”
Green doubled down on Murphy's response in the postgame press conference.
“It's devastating to our opponents when Trey is making shots. They have to burn timeouts. They have to figure out how to guard him,” Green explained. “(Opponents) can't load up on Zion and B.I. as much. I love what he's doing shot-faking, driving, then swinging to teammates when they close out hard…His shot-making ability opens the floor for the rest of the team.”
Murphy shared what kept him grounded during the shooting slump after hitting the showers.
“A lot of it has to do with my consistent work ethic,” said Murphy. “I try to do the same thing every time.”
The Pelicans need Murphy locked in going into the postseason. He is averaging 12.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. Things should get easier in the next two weeks too. New Orleans plays the next five games against teams in the bottom third of opponent three-point percentages. New Orleans plays 10 games against teams in the bottom half when it comes to defending the three-point line.
That should give Trey Murphy III enough time and space to get sited in before the NBA Playoffs begin.
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