Rumors

Jim Eichenhofer: James Borrego on #Pelicans getting two wins over Clippers with Zion Williamson scoring 14 and 15 pts: "Z is comfortable just making the right play. There's no frustration on his part (to not get as many shots). The goal is to win... our offensive weapons are so diverse right now."

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Even more impressive is Missi is only 21, making him the youngest player in this exclusive club to hit the 10-5-5 benchmark in a game. “I thought he was fantastic,” said interim coach James Borrego. “Really all of our bigs were. But Yves specifically in impacting the rim. The way he’s rebounding out there. He affects our defense in so many ways. I love his energy, his spirit. He’s becoming that rim protector for us.”

New Orleans Times-Picayune

“He’s a psychologist, he’s a mentor, he’s a friend, he’s a cheerleader, he’s a coach and he’s wearing five to six different hats every night,” Pelicans coach James Borrego said. “The beauty in DeAndre is, whatever is required in the moment, he’s willing to step and give. “And sometimes that’s an X or O or it’s just love. And that’s not easy to do. That’s what makes him so special.”

New York Times

Pelicans Film Room: "That's the blue print... physical, aggressive, defensive, disruptive, a big physical team. That is what we're looking to build... We have built habits to get to this point and now its about not letting up" -- James Borrego on the team identity

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RC Buford: “I think we had many coaches over the last 10 years who could have stepped into that role. Ime Udoka was with us, along with James Borrego, Brett Brown, Mike Budenholzer, and Will Hardy. There were many people with us who could have stepped into that role, but the longer Coach Pop stayed, the more those coaches moved on to other opportunities. When we needed Mitch to step up, he did so in a big way. It was incredibly emotional for him to take on that role. ‘Interim’ is probably the wrong word, because at the time of Pop’s stroke, we didn’t know whether Pop could come back. Mitch had that year to show the players—and all of us—who he could be as a coach.”

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Mark Medina: Pelicans coach James Borrego said Zion Williamson had "a lot of hop in his step" w/ 24 points on 10-for 18 clip & 4 boards. Borrego added Zion had "a tough whistle" & "a lot of contact" (4-for-5 from FT line). Borrego's full comments below.

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Pelicans Film Room: "He elevated our program tremendously. His leadership, he is a grownup in the room... He has wrapped his arms around the vets and the young guys... Now there is a little more bite to what he is saying because he is impacting the game" -- James Borrego on DeAndre Jordan's impact

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Pelicans forward Zion Williamson has another potential injury to deal with after leaving New Orleans' game at Utah in the second quarter Saturday night. The Pelicans announced Williamson would not return due to an injury to his right ankle in a game New Orleans went on to win 115-105. Interim coach James Borrego said Williams "tweaked the ankle," but didn't have an immediate update on severity of the injury. "Hopefully, it's nothing serious, and we'll have him back out there very soon," Borrego said. It's the latest setback for the oft-injured player who had already missed 16 games this season due to various ailments. The game against Utah was the two-time All-Star's 35th straight -- an NBA career-best for Williamson -- dating to Dec. 11, after he sat out five games with a right hip adductor strain.

ESPN

Will Guillory: James Borrego said Trey Murphy did not go through practice today, but the hope remains that Murphy's absence won't be a long one.

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The wait for Dejounte Murray’s return is almost over. The New Orleans Pelicans point guard, who tore his Achilles tendon on Jan. 31, 2025, was a full participant in the team’s first two practices (Wednesday and Thursday) after the All-Star break. “He’s close,” Pelicans interim coach James Borrego said after Thursday’s practice. “I’d say in the next week, he’s back on the floor playing NBA games, which is amazing.”

New Orleans Times-Picayune

Pelicans Film Room: "I clearly see an identity being formed... I see a group that is still connected and getting even tighter as a group. They bought into each other... If we have that, we're gonna be in every game the rest of the way" -- James Borrego on the team winning clutch games

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Pelicans Film Room: "He was a limited participant. That will ramp up over the next couple days. We will get into the All-Star break then see where we go from there... You can feel his presence, his leadership, his confidence. It is a massive boost" -- James Borrego on Dejounte Murray

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Cyro Asseo: New Orleans Pelicans interim head coach James Borrego during pregame vs Heat said “that he isn’t sure Dejounte Murray would be back this season” but says that they should “gain clarity” in a month or so as they’ll “get him back in their building.”

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Pelicans Film Room: "There is a beautiful balance of toughness, resiliency, togetherness, pride, mixed with fun, creativity, culture. That's what I want our group to reflect. When our fans show up and watch us on TV, they go damn that looks like New Orleans to me" -- James Borrego on New Orleans

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