The Pelicans were beaten by the Raptors on Wednesday Dejounte Murrayis the return from a broken hand. Murray and his teammates left the field humiliated because their season was at a crossroads. Their fans turned on them during the 119-93 loss and Murray couldn’t blame them.

“If you’re not embarrassed and really angry about it, that’s a problem.” Murray said, according to Brett Martel of the Associated Press. “It’s not really about the defeat, it’s about how we lost in front of our fans. Even the fans were booing – I mean, what would you do if you were a paying fan?” You want to watch a basketball game, especially your home team’s. So you have the right to say what you want and feel what you feel. They deserve a better game.”

Entering the season, the Pelicans looked like contenders as Murray, acquired in a trade with Atlanta, joined a lineup that included Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum And Brandon Ingramtogether with proven role players Trey Murphy, Herbert Jones And Jose Alvarado.

Injuries have caused them to struggle in the first two months of the season. They have lost six straight and 15 of their last 17. Williamson, Ingram, Murphy, Jones and Alvarado continue to be left out, but Murray says the level of competition must increase no matter who is available. Toronto came to New Orleans without a win on the road.

“When boys in, boys out, boys in, boys out, it’s really hard.” said Murray, who finished with 14 points after missing his first seven field goal attempts. “But I think it’s not hard to keep up. You can’t go punk. You can’t let yourself be pushed around. Tonight was just disgusting. We have to compete. We have to play harder no matter who is on the field.”

One can certainly ask whether there will be changes soon, be it in the squad or in the coaching staff. Head coach Willie Green knows a quick turnaround is necessary if his team wants to return to the postseason.

“Starting with me, we have to get better” Willie Green said, according to Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times Picayune. “It was a lack of competition. We allowed a team to come to our house and make us look soft. I told our group that. This can’t happen.”

Toronto shot 49.5 percent from the field and had 38 assists on 47 baskets.

“Either they got better overnight, or we have to do a better job and make it harder.” McCollum said. “It was a terrible idea. From top to bottom, we all need to get better.”

New Orleans now faces a three-game road tournament with stops in Memphis, New York and Atlanta.