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Zion Williamson was efficient in the first half on Wednesday, making seven of his eight shot attempts. However, he took only six shots after halftime. Trey Murphy attempted just seven shots all game. When the Pelicans needed to complete their comeback against the Denver Nuggets, their two primary scorers combined for only three fourth-quarter attempts. Williamson made both of his, including New Orleans' only three-pointer of the period, while Murphy missed his lone attempt. The Pelicans scored 18 points in the fourth quarter and lost 104-91, dropping to 0-4 on the season.
New Orleans had erased a 22-point deficit to enter the fourth quarter within six points. But once again, the offense struggled to produce through the players best equipped to carry it.
The Backcourt Isn't Delivering Late
Dejounte Murray and Jeremiah Fears combined for 21 points on 9-of-25 shooting Wednesday, including 1-of-7 from three-point range. Their struggles have followed the Pelicans into the fourth quarter throughout this winless start. Fears is 0-of-9 from the floor in fourth quarters, including 0-of-4 from beyond the arc. He has attempted more fourth-quarter shots than Murphy, who is 2-of-6. Murray leads the team in fourth-quarter attempts, has yet to make a three in the period, and has more turnovers than assists.
The separate clutch numbers highlight the distribution problem. Across New Orleans' first three games, Murray went 3-of-11 from the floor, Murphy went 1-of-1, and Williamson went 3-of-7. All three averaged 5.7 minutes in those situations heading into Wednesday night. Murray has two assists without a turnover in those clutch minutes. But the offense produced 11 attempts for a guard shooting 27.3% and one for Murphy. Fears is still learning to manage an NBA offense, while Murray is the veteran entrusted with organizing it. Neither has provided dependable fourth-quarter production.
Too Few Shots for Williamson and Murphy
Williamson's second half wasn't flawless. He went 1-of-4 in the third quarter before making both fourth-quarter attempts. His ability to draw fouls also matters. Over four games, Williamson is shooting 54.5% in the fourth quarter and has made 11 of 12 free throws. Those trips to the line are valuable scoring opportunities that others aren't creating. On Wednesday, his shot volume dropped from eight attempts before halftime to six afterward. He finished 10-of-14 while the rest of the team went 24-of-68.
Murphy's limited shooting opportunities extend across all four games. He has just six shot attempts in the fourth quarter this season and only one free-throw attempt. Wednesday's seven total shots were fewer than he attempted in any game last season. He had four shots against Utah, giving him two games below 10 shots, after having only four in 66 appearances a season ago. Trey went 1-of-4 from distance in the second half against Denver. However many he gets, he has to convert more of his chances.
Still, Fears took 14 shots Wednesday, Murray 11, and Saddiq Bey 10. New Orleans finished with 20 assists against 19 turnovers. Its starting guards supplied eight assists, five turnovers, and nine buckets between them.
Mosley Stayed With the Same Five
The Pelicans' 37-18 first-quarter deficit forced them to spend the middle periods recovering. They outscored Denver 55-42 and closed the third on a 9-0 run. With 6:59 remaining, Murray, Murphy, Bey, Williamson, and Derik Queen were on the floor, trailing 88-80. Those five closed the game. With 2:16 remaining, Denver led 101-89, New Orleans had scored nine points in nearly five minutes, and Mosley stayed with the combination.
Denver found its offense through its perimeter players. Christian Braun scored nine points, Jamal Murray seven, and Aaron Gordon three. Nikola Jokic didn't score in the period. Even without Jokic providing points, the Nuggets made five of 10 threes in the fourth after missing all six in the third. Meanwhile, New Orleans finished the fourth quarter 6-of-16 overall and 1-of-5 from deep. That was slightly better than it did in Denver, when it managed to go 4-of-16 and 1-of-6.
The Pelicans couldn't protect a lead in Denver. At home, they couldn't complete a comeback. Both losses followed late struggles against Indiana and Utah. Murray and Fears have to do more than improve their shooting. They have to help an offense with Williamson and Murphy find better opportunities when games are being decided. Mosley shares that responsibility. On Wednesday, Williamson made both of his fourth-quarter shots. Murphy took one. The Pelicans remained winless.