Pelicans

Only Steph Curry has made more 3s in March than Trey Murphy. Why the Pelicans want and need him to keep shooting.

Now, he’s being prominently featured in important moments, and open shots for him are often the best shot the Pels could hope for when the game is on the line. This has encouraged the coaching staff to use him in different sets and give him more opportunities with the ball. Murphy was tied with McCollum for the team’s lead in fourth-quarter points during March (69). He’s in the gym all the time working on his craft,” Green said. Considering how Murphy is playing lately, he can become an even more potent weapon once the most dominant paint scorer in the game returns. [Zion Williamson](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/zion-williamson-l6xjgWmi8X4OMdjm/) is getting closer to a comeback, which will change the dynamic. He’s more comfortable attacking closeouts and getting into the paint with a live dribble. He’s also stronger and more explosive, which has turned him into a force in transition. Having that kind of threat on the outside has opened up driving lanes for Ingram and McCollum that weren’t there a few months ago. His thirst for more looks forces opposing defenses to stay on high alert whenever he’s on the floor. While Murphy had already shown clear improvement from where he was this time last year as a rookie, he always felt there was more to his game that could be revealed if given the chance to spread his wings. [Pelicans](https://theathletic.com/nba/team/pelicans/) coaching staff have begged Trey Murphy to take more 3-pointers.