New Year, same Sacramento Kings. The team rang in 2026 by dropping a hard loss at home to the Boston Celtics on New Year's Day. A big part of the loss was Keegan Murray, who had a terrible shooting evening. For the Kings to make any kind of progress, Murray has to get into a rhythm now.
Keegna Murray had a tough start to the season. A preseason thumb injury required surgery, shelving him for a few weeks. Fans were happy to see him back, but his performance was inconsistent. He had great games, but they were interspersed with mediocrity, particularly on offense.
He has been, as a general rule, consistent on defense, which is an area that the Kings definitely need improvement in. At the same time, Murray signed a major extension in the offseason. As such, it's fair that the franchise and the fans expect consistent offense from him, as well.
In last night's loss to the Celtics, he scored seven points on three of 13 shooting from the field and one of four from the three-point line. That gave him a field goal percentage of 23.1% and a three-point percentage of 25%. Those are not good numbers for someone who is supposed to be a leader.
Murray needs to get his groove as soon as possible
For most of the game, the Kings were putting up a good fight. They kept the game close through the first three quarters. Then, the wheels came off in the fourth quarter, and the Celtics won by 14 points. That's when you need the player chosen to be the top star to step up and hold the line.
Many Kings players did well, including DeMar DeRozan, Dennis Schroder, and Keon Ellis, who finished with 25 points, 18 points, and 16 points, respectively. Rookie center Maxime Raynaud even managed to extend his double-digit scoring into 2026 by picking up 12 points on five of eight shooting.
If Murray is going to lead the team and be the focus of the rebuild, he just has to shoot better than he has been. Going three for 13 from the field definitely played a part in the Kings' loss to the Celtics. That kind of performance is not going to move the needle.
The reality is that Murray has to shoot his way through this shooting slump. He has to remain aggressive on the court and keep pushing to do better. At this point, the entire future of the Kings' franchise hinges on his improved shooting. No pressure, though.