Trey Murphy III's First Career Playoff Start Should Give Pelicans Hope Against OKC

The lights were not too bright for Pelicans forward trey Murphy III on Sunday night, when he made his first career playoff start.

Apr 21, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Trey Murphy III (25) shoots / Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports

New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III started his first playoff game Sunday night and nearly helped the Pelicans pull off a Game 1 upset of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Trey played a game-high 44 minutes and recorded a team-high 21 points on 8/18 shooting from the field. This isn't Murphy III's first taste of the playoffs. As a rookie, he played in six playoff games in New Orleans' first-round matchup against the Phoenix Suns, where through the first five games of that series, he made five three-pointers. He made five three-pointers Sunday night, not looking consumed by the moment.

"For me, it was just being aggressive," Murphy III told reporters postgame about how he approached his first playoff start. "I was just trying to make the right play, also defensively. First-half I think I had a few defensive mistakes that I tried to make up for in the second half." Making the right play for Murphy III involves rounding out more of his game besides his great shooting ability. 

Despite averaging fewer minutes than last season, Trey had career-highs in points (14.8), rebounds (4.9), and assists (2.2) this past regular season. Murphy III has been working hard on becoming a complete all-round player, with evidence of that being shown Sunday night. He recorded a steal and three blocked shots to help anchor a strong defensive performance from the Pelicans in Game 1. Trey is beginning to garner national attention because of his size, shooting ability, and athleticism. 

ESPN's senior writer Zach Lowe has sung Trey's praises most of this season, with him and his co-host revealing on Monday that they think he may be the second-best player on this Pelicans team now. Murphy III's importance certainly is elevated with Zion Williamson out with a hamstring injury, and he's proven this season to step up in Williamson's absence. He averages nearly 19 points a game, shooting 57% from the field in games Zion has missed this year.

With Williamson expecting to miss most, if not all, of the first-round matchup with the Thunder, Trey will be an integral part of any success the Pelicans will have in this series. Murphy III not only performed on the NBA's biggest stage to start this series, he embraced it. "It just gives you a second wind," Murphy III said. "This is a moment you live for as a child. So I'm just grateful to be a part of it."

If Game 1 is any indication, Murphy III seems comfortable stepping into a larger role, much like he is stepping into one of his patented rainbow three-point shots.