Ingram and Williamson Primed to Take Center Stage

Wednesday’s season-opening win over the Bulls had a slight setback with Dejounte Murray suffering a hand injury in his Pelicans debut. But with the dynamic duo of Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson leading the way, there is optimism that the team can still thrive in Murray's absence.

Ingram got off to a hot start in his own right Wednesday against Chicago with 33 points on 56% shooting to go with seven boards and two steals. Ingram is looking to put it all together this season after missing significant time each of the last three seasons. His previous career high

in points per game came in the 2023 season when he was chugging along at a 24.7 PPG clip. A key to Ingram unlocking another level could be his efficiency from beyond the arc.

Ingram has a career 3-point percentage of 36.3 and it was just two seasons ago during his aforementioned best-scoring season that he shot 39% from deep. One game is obviously a small sample, but Ingram canned three of five attempts from beyond the arc in the season opener, which showed efficiency and an increased willingness to fire from deep. Ingram averaged over 6.0 3-point attempts per game in 2020 and 2021 but it has not been as big of a part of his game in recent years (3.8 3PA/G). With Murray out, Ingram’s perimeter shooting could become a bigger point of emphasis. 

Zion Williamson, who missed the opener with an illness but is ready to make a debut tonight against the Trail Blazers, will be equally vital to the Pelicans holding serve in Murray’s absence. Williamson ended last season on a heater, averaging 25.8 points per game to go with 6.1 rebounds and nearly 2.0 steals in his last 10 outings. 

Williamson has flashed superstar potential through his first four seasons, but significant missed time has been a frustrating part of the story so far. Last season, when he played 70 games and averaged 31 minutes per game, gave a glimpse of what a full season of Williamson looks like. 

Williamson had a 29.5% usage rate last season and that figure could increase as the Pelicans adjust during Murray’s absence. 

CJ McCollum, who makes his return to Portland tonight, is another key piece for the Pelicans both now and going forward. The 33-year-old could see increased minutes at point guard in Murray’s absence after projecting to mostly handle shooting guard duties. He dropped 23 points in the opener with five made threes in the win and his ability to facilitate over the next month will be vital.

Among the other players looking at role increases during Murray’s absence, Jose Alvarado should be presented with an opportunity for more playing time. Alvarado has topped out at 21.5 minutes per game earlier in his career and could be looking at something similar over the next few weeks. 

Be sure to catch the Pelicans and Trail Blazers tonight on NBA League Pass (10 ET).