Trey Murphy III's Big Night Secures Pelicans Victory Over Cavs

The New Orleans Pelicans (17-12) defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers (16-13) 123-104 Thursday evening. The victory is the Pelicans fifth straight on the road. Each team was missing their stars with illness as Cavs leading scorer Donovan Mitchell missed the game with an undisclosed illness. The same for Pelicans forward Zion Williamson, who didn't travel with the team and remained in New Orleans to recover.

Without Williamson in the lineup, Trey Murphy III received the start in place of Zion. It was Murphy III's first start of the year, and he took full advantage of the opportunity. The Pelicans had very balanced scoring in the opening period. Trey, Brandon Ingram, and CJ McCollum accounted for 25 of the Pels' 36 points in the first quarter. New Orleans shot red-hot from the field, shooting 65% on 15/23 shooting.

Cleveland also shot well from the floor. The Cavs made six three-point shots to keep pace with the Pelicans good shooting. New Orleans led 36-28 heading into the second quarter. The Pelicans extended their lead thanks to the three-point shooting of Trey Murphy III. The third-year forward made three three-point shots in the quarter and scored 11 points. New Orleans shared the basketball well in the half with 18 assists on 26 made field goals. Murphy III ended the half with a game-high 19 first-half points. The Pelicans lead 66-52 at halftime.

The Cavs opened up the second half on a 7-0 run to cut into the lead for New Orleans. The Pelicans then received major contributions from its bench. Naji Marshall scored seven points in the third quarter, while the Pels defense stood tall late in the quarter. New Orleans held Cleveland without a field goal for the final 4:30 of the third quarter and grabbed its biggest lead up to that point in the game, leading 94-76 heading into the fourth.

New Orleans maintained its advantage throughout the quarter, with Cleveland unable to muster much firepower to mount a comeback. The Cavs top three scorers did not play in Thursday's game. In addition to Mitchell being absent, Darius Garland (jaw) and Evan Mobley (knee) remained out. Dean Wade led the Cavs in scoring with 20 points. Five Cavs' players in total scored in double-figures on the night.

Trey Murphy III finished the game with a season-high 28 points, including six three-point makes. New Orleans played mistake-free basketball most of the evening. The Pels committed only nine turnovers in the game and shot 54% from the field. CJ McCollum chipped in with 18 points, and Brandon Ingram scored 17.

New Orleans heads home this weekend for a matchup with the Houston Rockets on Saturday. That game begins a five-game home stand for the Pelicans that carries over through the new year.