On Saturday, Trey Murphy III scored more against the Nuggets than he had in the Pelicans' first two games combined. The encouraging part for New Orleans was how much his teammates contributed to that breakthrough.

Murphy finished with 26 points, six rebounds, and four assists in Saturday's 141-135 overtime loss. He made 10 of 17 shots, including four of eight 3-pointers, after scoring 11 against Indiana and nine against Utah.

The loss left the Pelicans searching for their first victory. Murphy's performance supplied something worth carrying into that pursuit: a productive scorer receiving substantially more opportunities to do what he does well.

Opportunity made the difference for Trey Murphy

Murphy made two of four catch-and-shoot attempts across the first two games. Against Denver, he made four of seven. He had been converting those chances. The biggest change was how many he received.

All seven catch-and-shoot attempts against the Nuggets were three-pointers. Murphy's four makes produced 12 points, compared to just three in each previous game. Those nine additional points accounted for more than half of his scoring increase from either outing.

Murphy also did more damage inside the arc (h/t NBA), making six of nine two-point attempts. He added two free throws after attempting just one across the opening two games.

Soaring for the slam... TREY MURPHY III 💥

He's got a team-high 21 points as the Pelicans lead on the road! pic.twitter.com/mGVmH6hfmi

— NBA (@NBA) October 25, 2026

His shooting helped New Orleans on a night when the rest of the team went 7-for-30 from three. That contrast reinforces the importance of consistently creating opportunities for him.

Last season, Murphy shot 42.9% on catch-and-shoot threes while averaging 5.1 attempts per game. His opening two games supplied fewer than half that many chances per night.

Denver gave the Pelicans a reminder of the value already available within their offense.

Being more involved was key to Murphy's breakout vs. Nuggets

Murphy recorded 71 touches against the Nuggets after getting 37 against Indiana and 40 against Utah. His 44 frontcourt touches doubled his average from those first two games.

Getting more playing time helped, but the increase went well beyond minutes. Murphy played roughly 37 minutes against Denver after averaging around 31.5 minutes in the first two games. His touches increased by about 84%. He also averaged fewer dribbles per touch: 1.07 against Denver, compared with 1.81 against Indiana and 1.98 against Utah.

The comparison with Utah is especially revealing. Murphy possesse the ball for more total time against the Jazz, yet received far fewer touches and scored nine points.

Murphy's five drives matched his Utah total, while his pull-up shooting produced two points in each game. Against Denver, he got the ball more often and had more chances to catch and shoot, and the points followed.

That gives the Pelicans a specific approach to pursue as they work through their early offensive problems.

Explosive performance was a team effort

The responsibility for involving Murphy spread across the lineup.

Dejounte Murray supplied 15 passes to him against Denver, up from five against Indiana and nine against Utah. Jordan Poole supplied seven after recording none in the opener and one against the Jazz.

Murphy made two threes following Poole's passes and one apiece following passes from Murray and Jeremiah Fears. Six teammates assisted his baskets. He finished with eight assisted field goals, compared with three in each previous game.

That collective contribution is something to build upon. New Orleans found Murphy through several teammates rather than relying on a single passing connection.

One game doesn't mean that the Pelicans have figured things out for Murphy. Opponents will adjust, and there will be nights when he won't make shots. His four turnovers against Denver are another area for improvement.

Still, Murphy's performance was a silver lining to another cloudy start for the Pelicans. His teammates got him the ball more often; he had more chances to shoot, and he made them count.

Now they need to keep finding him.