MIAMI — Trey Murphy III knew his mom was in downtown New Orleans to ring within the new 12 months. His chef was there as effectively. And when Murphy heard in regards to the tragedy that occurred on Bourbon Avenue, he was scared for his or her security.
The phrase ultimately got here: They had been tremendous.
“You’re feeling slightly sigh of aid,” Murphy mentioned. “However there have been lots of people that did not hear that sigh of aid right now.”
Wednesday was a sport day for Murphy and the New Orleans Pelicans. They performed in Miami. They misplaced to the Warmth, 119-108, and it is not prefer it mattered a lot. Their minds, predictably, had been in New Orleans — as they, like the remainder of their metropolis, started what shall be a protracted strategy of mourning the deaths of at the very least 15 folks, killed when an Military veteran driving a pickup truck bearing the flag of the Islamic State group slammed the car into New Yr’s Eve revellers within the metropolis’s famed French Quarter.
“I am devastated,” Pelicans coach Willie Inexperienced mentioned.
Inexperienced received a textual content from his father early Wednesday. The primary half wished him Joyful New Yr. The second provided prayers for New Orleans. That is how he discovered in regards to the horror taking place in his metropolis.
New Orleans performs its house video games about 1 mile southwest of the intersection of Bourbon Avenue and Canal Avenue, the place the assault — which not solely left the 15 lifeless however injured at the very least 30 others — occurred.
“A mindless act of violence,” Inexperienced mentioned. “We have mentioned it a bit with our gamers. However we’re simply residing in instances and in a world the place you simply don’t know the place you’re protected. Faculties, church buildings, folks ought to have the ability to exit and have a great time and stroll the streets. It is devastating. And I can solely think about what these households are going via, what they should take care of now for the remainder of their lives.”
The Pelicans are scheduled to play at house on Friday towards Washington. The assault compelled a one-day delay of the Sugar Bowl between Notre Dame and Georgia, a School Soccer Playoff quarterfinal. Initially set for Wednesday evening, it was moved to Thursday afternoon.
Warmth coach Erik Spoelstra mentioned the information out of New Orleans, when displayed on televisions within the group weight room on Wednesday, introduced everybody “to an absolute halt.”
“It is terrifying,” Spoelstra mentioned. “It is horrific. Till all of us discover out extra particulars, you pray for all of the households and all people that is experiencing loss. The unknown, additionally, is terrifying.”
The Warmth held a pregame second of silence Wednesday for the victims in New Orleans, including that to 1 beforehand deliberate to commemorate the lifetime of President Jimmy Carter — who died earlier this week.
On the Pelicans’ tv broadcast, play-by-play announcer Joel Meyers and analyst Antonio Daniels each expressed their anguish over what occurred in New Orleans.
“If you consider what Bourbon Avenue represents, it’s a spot of pleasure. It’s a spot of laughter. It’s a spot of marriages, of bachelorette events, bachelor events, a spot the place folks come collectively,” Daniels mentioned. “And like Coach Inexperienced mentioned, a mindless act of violence involves try to tear this metropolis aside? My coronary heart hurts. My coronary heart hurts for this metropolis. It’s unlucky. It’s unlucky that that is the darkish world that we stay in right now.”
Murphy discovered a approach to compartmentalize issues for the sport. He was sensible, scoring 34 factors. His group received down 17 early, then fought for many of the final 3 1/2 quarters within the loss.
It has been a horrible 12 months for the Pelicans, who’ve misplaced 29 of their final 32 video games and are badly undermanned due to accidents. However Wednesday’s sport appeared ancillary to Murphy.
“It’s a true disgrace,” Murphy mentioned. “Individuals attempt to get pleasure from themselves and go into the brand new 12 months with a distinct mindset and now there are a variety of households that should take care of this tragedy. And I simply have a variety of prayers and ideas going out to these households, as a result of it simply doesn’t make sense. Stuff like that shouldn’t occur. You shouldn’t have to fret about going to Bourbon Avenue and having fun with your self, then ending up having to lose a beloved one.”
