The injury-riddled New Orleans Pelicans have had to adjust their lineup due to key players being out of commission, but have managed to secure victory in five out of their last six games.

They will kick off a five-game homestand by hosting the Houston Rockets on Saturday night. The return of Zion Williamson is anticipated after missing the Pelicans’ 123-104 win in Cleveland because of illness. Stepping up in his absence, Trey Murphy III, who had been sidelined for the first 19 games of the season due to off-season arthroscopic knee surgery, made a remarkable season-best scoring of 28 points against the Cavaliers by earning his first start of the campaign.

Expressing his excitement, Murphy stated, “During the past three years, I’ve been emphasizing that we have numerous players capable of delivering standout performances. This was my opportunity”.

Before his starting position, Murphy had appeared in eight games off the bench and on Thursday, he showcased a 6-for-10 success rate on 3-pointers and 4-for-6 on 2-pointers. Additionally, the Pelicans exhibited an impressive 3-point shooting percentage of 42.9% by making 15 out of 35 attempts from beyond the arc.

Impressed by Murphy’s performance, Pelicans coach Willie Green remarked, “He was phenomenal. That’s the advantage Trey brings to this team. He has the ability to space the floor, displays confidence, and is starting to integrate driving to the basket after a shot fake. He also actively engages his teammates. He is undeniably a strong asset for us”.

The Rockets, on the other hand, managed to break a three-game losing streak in a resounding manner when they triumphed over the short-handed Dallas Mavericks with a 122-96 victory in Houston, boasting a lead that stretched to as much as 38 points. Alperen Sengun contributed 22 points and 15 rebounds, Jabari Smith Jr. secured 21 points and eight rebounds, while Jalen Green added 17 points to the scoreboard.

Impressed by the performance of Sengun and Smith, Rockets coach Ime Udoka commented, “They complement each other effectively and demonstrate great versatility. Having been teamed up for a few years, their chemistry is visibly developing, and they exhibit strong synergy”.

Seizing the opportunity presented by the absence of key Mavericks players due to injuries, Sengun expressed, “We were aware of their missing players, so I approached the game aggressively and concluded early so that we could prepare for tomorrow’s game”.

In the matchup against the Pelicans, the Rockets secured a 104-101 victory in the in-season tournament debut for both teams on Nov. 10. In that game, Green managed to notch 25 points, Sengun added 24, and Fred VanVleet delivered consecutive long-range 3-pointers in the final two minutes, helping the team to overcome a 79-70 deficit at the start of the fourth quarter. Brandon Ingram scored 31 points and Williamson added 24 for New Orleans, who were missing CJ McCollum, Murphy, Herbert Jones Jr. and Jose Alvarado.

These Southwest Division rivals are scheduled to face off twice more this season — on Jan. 31 in Houston and on Feb. 22 in New Orleans.