Trey Murphy III Leads Pelicans to Overtime Win Over Thunder

Trey Murphy's sensational sophomore season continues.

The Pelicans were on the road and missing two starters in Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson. They also had to overcome Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who went for a career-high 44 points.

But behind yet another stellar performance from rising star and former UVA basketball player Trey Murphy III, the New Orleans Pelicans prevailed with a 128-125 overtime victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night.

As a rookie, Murphy appeared in 62 games, but started only once. Through only the first 30 games of his second NBA season, Murphy has already started in 20 games, with his 20th coming on Friday night at OKC. In 40 minutes of action, Murphy led the Pelicans in scoring with 23 points and had the highest +/- on his team at +6. He knocked down five of his eight three-point attempts and added five rebounds, two steals, and an assist.

Seven of those 23 points came in the fourth quarter and overtime combined. Murphy hit a clutch three-pointer early in the overtime period that gave the Pels the lead for good and then hit a tough contested jumper off the glass to help protect that lead a minute later.

Through the first 30 games of the 2022-2023 season, Murphy has earned a larger role with the Pelicans and he has taken full advantage of that opportunity, more than doubling his scoring average and recording six games with at least 20 points. He also currently ranks sixth in the entire NBA in free throw shooting at just under 92%.

The New Orleans Pelicans are having a fantastic season, currently sitting third in the Western Conference standings at 20-12, and Trey Murphy III is a big reason for their success so far this season.

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