Postgame wrap: Pelicans 123, Cavaliers 104

Zion Williamson didn’t play due to illness Thursday, but New Orleans had a not-so-secret weapon available, ready to make his first start of the 2023-24 season. After coming off the bench in his previous eight appearances, forward Trey Murphy was needed for first-string duty against Cleveland and delivered arguably his best game so far of his third NBA season. Murphy’s season-high 28-point outing helped the Pelicans offset some early hot three-point gunning from the Cavaliers. Murphy did his usual amount of damage from long distance himself, going 6/10 on threes, but he also mixed in drives and finishes in the paint. “We are seeing the progression of Trey Murphy offensively,” Pelicans TV analyst Antonio Daniels summarized.
New Orleans stretched its edge to 14 at halftime and was up by as many as 24 in the second half. The visitors won all four quarters in Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.

A streak of a different kind.
New Orleans’ overall four-game winning streak ended Tuesday vs. Memphis, but on Thursday the Pelicans extended their road win streak to four, dating back to a 3-0 trip last week to Washington, Charlotte and San Antonio. New Orleans is now 8-7 overall in away contests, an impressive mark, particularly given how shorthanded it had been through the first few weeks of the season. The Pelicans began this season 4-6 overall but have now won 13 of their last 19 games. With Murphy and CJ McCollum in uniform, they’ve only lost one road game (in Las Vegas).
JV appreciation.
During his second-quarter interview on Pelicans TV, second-unit center Larry Nance Jr. raved about how valuable and often-underappreciated Jonas Valanciunas has been for New Orleans. The Lithuanian big continues to show what he means to the Pelicans, including leading the club by appearing in all 29 games this season (tied with Dyson Daniels). At this point, it’s unusual when Valanciunas does not register a double-double, but in Thursday’s game he produced a solid 13 points, seven rebounds, five assists, one steal and one block.
Opportunity in Ohio.
Williamson’s DNP and a couple other Pelicans not necessarily feeling 100 percent opened up a bit more of a chance to play for Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (first extended game action in a non-blowout since Nov. 18) and rookie Jordan Hawkins. Robinson-Earl was excellent in his 20 minutes, posting 11 points on 5/6 shooting and five rebounds. Hawkins knocked down a pair of treys for six points in 12 minutes.

15/35: New Orleans three-point shooting, which is a very good 43 percent. Cleveland chilled a bit in the second half but still had a quality perimeter night at 17/44 (39 percent).
8: Cleveland attempts from the foul line. This may have been the best data point produced by the New Orleans defense, after the Pelicans fouled too much in the Tuesday loss vs. Memphis.
6-2: New Orleans record against the Eastern Conference. The Pelicans have feasted lately on the opposite conference, but 11 of their next 12 games are vs. the West, including a five-game January road trip.