In his first game as a member of the New Orleans Pelicans, Dejounte Murray had a much better experience than in his second outing, which was anything but enjoyable. During a Thanksgiving eve matchup, a vibrant crowd quickly turned hostile as they witnessed the Toronto Raptors build a commanding 34-point lead in the second half despite coming into the game winless on the road for their last ten games.

Following the Pelicans’ 119-93 defeat, which marked their sixth consecutive loss, Murray expressed his disappointment, saying, “If you’re not embarrassed and really mad about this, that’s a problem.” He emphasized that the frustration wasn’t merely about losing but rather how they performed, especially in front of their home fans. He acknowledged the fans’ right to boo, stating, “What would you do if you were a fan paying your money? You want to come watch a competitive basketball game, especially from your home team. So, they got all the rights to say what they want.” Murray felt that the team owed the supporters a much better performance.

Since Murray’s hand injury cut his season short after the opening night win over the Chicago Bulls, the Pelicans have faced a series of unfortunate events on the injury front. Initially, they started the season promisingly with a 2-0 record while having Zion Williamson and other key players available, but they have since plummeted, losing 15 out of their last 17 games. This has left their record at 4-15 in a tough Western Conference. Significant injuries to players including Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and CJ McCollum, among others, have severely impacted their performance. Murray made his return after missing 17 games, just as McCollum was recovering from his own injury, but many crucial players were still sidelined.

Murray acknowledged the struggle of managing a constantly changing lineup but insisted that competing should not be an issue. “You can’t get punked. You can’t get pushed around,” he stated. Describing the evening’s performance as “disgusting,” he stressed the importance of playing fiercely regardless of who is present on the court.

As expected, Murray showed some signs of rust, missing his first seven attempts before finishing the game with 14 points. Fellow player McCollum contributed 19 points, but their efforts were insufficient to mask the apparent weaknesses in their defense against Toronto. Notably, the Raptors, who had been struggling to hit three-pointers all season, managed to score a season-high 21 against the Pelicans.

McCollum remarked, “Either they got better overnight, or we’ve got to do a better job closing out and making it more difficult.” He went on to label the performance as “a horrible showing,” calling for improvement from the entire team.

Willie Green, the head coach of the Pelicans, expressed concern over what he perceived as a “lack of competition.” He noted, “We allowed a team to come on our home floor and really make us look soft,” reminding his team that this cannot become a norm.

With a significant portion of the season still remaining, the Pelicans have 63 games left to turn their fortunes around and strive for a playoff spot. Their upcoming game against Memphis will reveal their determination to reclaim their form. Players were given part of Thanksgiving to be with their families, followed by a journey to Memphis.

Murray emphasized the need to regroup collectively as they travel, reflecting on the need to prevent the negative habits from their latest loss from continuing. McCollum also noted the challenge of injuries in developing consistent team chemistry but highlighted the importance of not letting moments like this define their season. “Time is ticking, and it isn’t getting any easier,” he asserted as the team looks to get back on track.