After weeks on the shelf with an injury, Keegan Murray is back on the court for the Sacramento Kings and in the starting five. Fans should be overjoyed because their starters looked locked in for the first time this season. It's hard to deny the impact that Murray being back is already having on the team.
Murray has missed most of the season to date thanks to a preseason injury to his left thumb that required surgery. It was a tough loss for a team in flux that is trying to establish its identity on the court and is in the early stages of a much-needed rebuild.
The Kings have definitely identified Murray as a player they want to invest in. Sacramento gave him a massive contract extension not that long ago. With several potential trades on the horizon, it's hard to imagine Murray not staying with the Kings. And last night proved why they need him.
Kings take down the Nuggets
After a rough eight-game slide capped off by a 41-point loss to the Grizzlies, the Kings finally picked up their fourth win of the season. Shockingly, they managed to beat the Nuggets of all teams. That was despite another brilliant performance from the most dominant player in the game, Nikola Jokic.
Keegan Murray played a huge part in that victory. He finished the game with 19 points, five rebounds, one assist, two steals, and one block. Even more impressive is the fact that he did it all with zero turnovers and zero personal fouls.
This was the exact kind of performance the Kings need from Keegan Murray on a regular basis. He needs to be a leader for the young players and rookies on the team, setting an example for what's expected from them. That's not something he can do from the bench.
Kings need Murray on the starting five
Last night's starting five against the Nuggets was DeMar DeRozan, Keegan Murray, Drew Eubanks, Zach LaVine, and Russell Westbrook. It's not perfect, but it's hard to deny that this worked. With Murray on the court, things kind of felt like they clicked into place for the Kings.
He has long been Sacramento's best defensive player, so having him in the game helped set the defensive tone for the Kings. On top of that, he's a fighter on offense. He's unrelenting in his game, and working with a facilitator like Russell Westbrook could be an interesting dynamic.
Having Keegan Murray back isn't going to solve all of the Kings' many, many, many problems. But it is good to have him back as a starter, and he should play a big part in the rebuild. Murray has proved once again that he is the kind of player Sacramento needs as they plan for the future.