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New Orleans will start Jeremiah Fears, Dejounte Murray, Trey Murphy, Zion Williamson and Karlo Matković against Minnesota on Friday. Murphy returns after missing Wednesday’s win over Utah, and Herb Jones moves to the bench in the lineup’s only change.
The New Orleans Pelicans will start Jeremiah Fears, Dejounte Murray, Trey Murphy, Zion Williamson and Karlo Matković against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, NBC Sports reported. Murphy returns after missing Wednesday’s win over Utah, while Herb Jones moves to the bench in the only change to New Orleans’ starting five.
Murphy’s return ends a one-game absence. He missed the Utah game, but had been listed as probable before Friday’s matchup, according to the NBC Sports report. The report identifies his knee tendinitis as a recent availability concern; it does not provide a new update on the condition or say whether his playing time will be limited.
The other four starters are Fears, Murray, Williamson and Matković. Murray is back in the lineup after missing recent games for personal reasons, while Fears had started and played well during his absence, NBC Sports reported. The decision leaves Fears in the starting group alongside the veteran guard rather than removing him from the five.
Jones is the player displaced from the starting lineup as Murphy returns. NBC Sports also said Saddiq Bey and Jones could see their roles or minutes reduced with Murphy available. Those are projections, not a confirmed minutes allocation: the report does not state how much any of the players will play.
Murphy’s Return Reshapes Wing Minutes
The lineup update matters because it gives New Orleans back a starter while changing the roles of players who filled in during his absence. Murphy’s availability adds another option to the Pelicans’ starting group, and Jones’ move to the bench may affect his minutes and responsibilities. Bey could also face a smaller role, according to NBC Sports.
For readers following the game, the change clarifies who will open against Minnesota but does not settle how the rotation will work after tipoff. A starting assignment is not a guarantee of a particular workload, especially when the report provides no minutes forecast and no further detail about Murphy’s condition. The practical effect on playing time will depend on the game and the coaching staff’s decisions.
The decision also keeps Fears in the first five despite Murray’s return. His recent starts came while Murray was away, and NBC Sports noted that Fears had played well in that stretch. Friday’s lineup shows both guards starting, but the report does not specify their respective roles or how ball-handling duties will be divided.
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A Return After Utah’s Win
Murphy sat out New Orleans’ Wednesday win over the Utah Jazz. Before Friday’s game, he had been listed as probable, making his return consistent with the earlier availability report. The source does not describe a new injury setback or say that he was ruled out at any point for Friday.
Murray, meanwhile, had missed recent games for personal reasons. During that stretch, Fears started, and Jones also appeared in the starting lineup, according to NBC Sports’ account of the team’s recent rotation. With both Murray and Murphy available for Friday, the Pelicans have restored them to the starting group and shifted Jones to the bench.
The report is a pre-game lineup update, not a recap of the matchup or a broader assessment of New Orleans’ season. It confirms the five players named to start and identifies the one change from the previous game’s starting group. It does not report a result against Minnesota or describe what happened during the game.
Minutes and Health Remain Unreported
The source confirms Murphy is expected to start, but it does not say whether knee tendinitis will affect his workload or whether he will face any restrictions. His status as probable before the game supports his availability, but the report gives no minutes limit or medical details beyond the recent condition.
It is also unclear how New Orleans will divide playing time among Murphy, Jones and Bey. NBC Sports forecast that Jones and Bey could lose minutes, but the precise rotation remains unconfirmed. The report does not provide comments from the coach or players explaining the decision.
Although the lineup announcement names all five starters, it does not establish how Fears and Murray will share the backcourt duties, or how the rest of the rotation will be arranged. Those questions require game information not included in the source.
The Timberwolves Game Sets the Rotation
The immediate next development is Friday’s game against Minnesota, where the Pelicans’ on-court rotation will show how Murphy’s return affects the minutes available to Jones and Bey. The pre-game report confirms the starters but offers no prediction about the final rotation or the game outcome.
Further updates would be needed to clarify Murphy’s health and workload, as well as whether New Orleans keeps this lineup in subsequent games. For now, the confirmed change is limited to Murphy returning to the starting five and Jones moving to the bench.
Key Questions
Who is starting for the Pelicans against Minnesota?
New Orleans will start Jeremiah Fears, Dejounte Murray, Trey Murphy, Zion Williamson and Karlo Matković, according to NBC Sports.
Why is Trey Murphy back in the lineup?
Murphy returns after missing Wednesday’s win over Utah. He had been listed as probable before Friday’s game, the report said.
Who moves to the bench?
Herb Jones moves to the bench as Murphy returns. NBC Sports said Jones and Saddiq Bey could also see reduced minutes, though it did not give a specific rotation forecast.
Is Trey Murphy expected to have a minutes restriction?
The report does not say. Murphy is listed among the starters, but no minutes limit or workload detail is provided.
Why are both Jeremiah Fears and Dejounte Murray starting?
Murray had missed recent games for personal reasons, and Fears started during his absence. Friday’s lineup has both guards in the starting five; the report does not explain how their roles or ball-handling duties will be divided.
Source: nbcsports.com
