Tag: Keegan Murray

In rookie battle, Keegan Murray shoots Kings past Jabari Smith Jr., Rockets

In a battle of the No. 3 and No. 4 overall picks from the 2022 draft class, rookie forward Keegan Murray and the Kings clearly outshined Jabari Smith Jr. and the Rockets.

Two nights after allowing an astonishing 153 points in a loss at Oklahoma City, the defensive results weren’t much better for the young Houston Rockets in a 140-120 home loss (box score) to Sacramento. The Kings led comfortably for most of Monday’s game, with their 65 first-half points providing a formidable cushion.

In a battle of two rookie forwards drafted in the top-four picks of the 2022 first round, Sacramento’s Keegan Murray clearly outshined Jabari Smith Jr. of the Rockets. Smith, the No. 3 overall selection, saw his first-year offensive struggles continue with 13 points on 5-of-15 shooting (33.3%) and 1-of-6 on 3-pointers (16.7%).

Meanwhile, Murray — the No. 4 overall pick — led the Kings with 30 points and 6 rebounds on 11-of-17 shooting (64.7%), including 8-of-12 from 3-point range (66.7%). Sacramento (30-23) remains in an impressive third place in the Western Conference standings.

Key offensive statistics for the Rockets (13-41), who continue to hold the NBA’s worst record on the 2022-23 season, included:

  • Jalen Green: 27 points, 3 assists, 2 steals; 10-of-21 shooting (47.6%), 5-of-11 on 3-pointers (45.5%)
  • KJ Martin: 18 points, 8 rebounds; 8=of-10 shooting (80.0%), 2-of-2 on 3-pointers
  • Eric Gordon: 16 points, 8 assists, 2 steals; 5-of-7 shooting (71.4%), 3-of-5 on 3-pointers (60.0%)
  • Alperen Sengun: 15 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists; 4-of-10 shooting (40.0%), 1-of-2 on 3-pointers (50.0%)

Scroll on for highlights, analysis, and postgame interview reaction. Next up for Houston is a rematch with the Kings in the same Toyota Center arena on Wednesday night, with tipoff set for 7 p.m. Central.

Paolo Banchero, Keegan Murray named NBA Rookies of the Month for January

Banchero and Murray each won the award in December for their respective conferences.

Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero and Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray were named the NBA Eastern and Western Conference rookies of the month for games played in January, the league announced on Thursday.

The two players each won the award in December.

Banchero is the third player in team history to win the award in consecutive months, joining Shaquille O’Neal and Mike Miller. He averaged 20.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.3 steals in 14 games, and he led the rookie class in scoring and minutes during the month.

Murray averaged 14 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists on 49.5% shooting from 3-point range in 15 games. His 48 3-pointers were the most by a rookie in the month of January, and ninth-most among all players this season.

He is the fourth rookie in team history to win in back-to-back months.

Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin and Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey were also nominated for the award from the Eastern Conference. In the West, Tari Eason and Jabari Smith Jr. (Houston), Walker Kessler (Utah), Jeremy Sochan (San Antonio) and Jalen Williams (Oklahoma City) were also nominated.

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NBA Rising Stars 2023: Player pool revealed for annual showcase

The NBA on Tuesday unveiled the list of 28 players set to participate in the annual Rising Stars game on Feb. 17.

The NBA on Tuesday unveiled the list of 28 players set to participate in the annual Rising Stars game on Feb. 17 as part of All-Star Weekend in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The showcase game will feature four seven-player teams competing in a mini-tournament consisting of three games for the second straight year. Each game will be played to a final target score, meaning a game will end with a made basket or a made free throw instead of a running clock.

The pool of 28 players for the game consists of 11 first-year players, 10 second-year players and seven players from the G League. The rookies and sophomores were selected by assistant coaches and the G League players were chosen by the league office.

The 21 NBA players were selected by assistant coaches across the league. Each team submitted a rookie ballot and sophomore ballot featuring four frontcourt players, four guards and two additional players of any position, in order of preference.

The three NBA teams will be coached by Pau Gasol, Joakim Noah and Deron Williams. Jazz assistant coach Jason Terry, who previously coached the Grand Rapids Gold, will lead the G League team. Assistants from the All-Star Game staffs will also coach in the event.

TNT will televise the competition beginning at 9 p.m. EST.

Rookie Power Rankings: Bennedict Mathurin swipes the top spot with recent play

Rookie Wire took a look at the top first-year players over the last two weeks of the 2022-23 season.

The term “rookie wall” is often used to describe how first-year players may hit a roadblock in the midst of their seasons as they adjust to the 82-game schedule and increased competition level in the NBA.

With teams well into the second halves of their schedules, some rookies appear to be slowing down of late. However, there are others that are seemingly heating up at the moment and are continuing to play at a high level.

Indiana’s Bennedict Mathurin fits that bill.

The sixth pick (more on him below) is coming off one of his best outings of the season on Tuesday to lead the Pacers to a win over Chicago. The group snapped a seven-game losing streak with the win to set up a prime rookie matchup on Wednesday against Paolo Banchero and the Magic.

To make sense of it all, we looked at the best recent performances of these first-year players and ranked them in the latest edition of the Rookie Wire Power Rankings. The rankings are not for Rookie of the Year purposes but, rather, to illustrate the best players week to week.

It’s been a challenging NBA start for Johnny Davis

It’s been a challenging NBA start for Johnny Davis

As a member of the Badgers last season, Johnny Davis was the recipient of the Big Ten Player of the Year award. The guard averaged 19.7 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.2 steals per game in his sophomore season with Wisconsin. He was able to beat out the likes of Keegan Murray and Jaden Ivey to earn the top honors in the conference.

Davis leveraged the fantastic season into being selected 10th overall by the Washington Wizards in the 2022 NBA Draft. Going from being a freshman who didn’t start a game to being a top-10 selection in under two years was quite the accomplishment.

That being said, Davis has had a difficult start to his NBA career and as we’ve passed the mid-way point in the season, the guard has had little-to-no impact at the professional level this year.

Davis has struggled to see much action in his rookie campaign, appearing in only 10 games with the Wizards so far, scoring a total of 11 points over 50 minutes. He’s bounced back and forth between the G-League’s Capital City Go-Go and the active roster.

The 20-year-old has played in three games with the Go-Go, averaging 11.3 points and 3.3 rebounds while playing nearly 28 minutes per contest in his limited action. Over the past month, the former Badger has been nursing a hip injury and is expected to make his return to the court in the near future.

Although it has been a tough start to his career, the Wizards’ head coach Wes Unseld Jr. has been impressed with the composure Davis has shown and is encouraged by the guard’s development this season.

With a little under half of the season remaining, Davis will likely get a chance to see extended run with the Go-Go and could earn himself a role on the Wizards’ roster down the stretch.

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Rookie Power Rankings: Paolo Banchero reigns supreme at the halfway point

Rookie Wire took a look at the top first-year players over the last two weeks of the 2022-23 season.

The season is at the halfway point as most teams around the NBA have played at least half of their 82 games as the schedule heads toward a jam-packed lineup on Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

With the first half of the season in the books, the basketball community has received a great look at the current rookie class. While Paolo Banchero and Bennedict Mathurin have separated themselves as the top two players, others have had great performances, as well.

Banchero is the overwhelming favorite to win Rookie of the Year with Mathurin behind him in second. It looks to be down to those two players for the annual award, while the race to fill the two All-Rookie teams should be much more competitive.

To make sense of it all, we looked at the best recent performances of these first-year players and ranked them in the latest edition of the Rookie Wire Power Rankings. The rankings are not for Rookie of the Year purposes but, rather, to illustrate the best players week to week.

Rockets at Kings: Wednesday’s lineups, injury reports, broadcast and stream info

Between Jabari Smith Jr. and Keegan Murray, it’s a matchup of two top-four rookies from the 2022 draft class when the #Rockets visit Sacramento for a pair of games this week.

The young Houston Rockets have lost seven straight games and 12 of 13, overall, and the quest to turn things around doesn’t get any easier with a four-game Western Conference road trip.

First on the agenda is Sacramento, where the Rockets will play a pair of games on Wednesday and Friday nights versus a resurgent Kings team that is currently at No. 5 in the West standings and firmly in the mix for a spot in the 2023 NBA playoffs.

Sacramento hasn’t had a winning season or playoff berth since 2006, which represents the NBA’s longest active playoff drought.

Houston native De’Aaron Fox, who leads the Kings in scoring, should relish the opportunity to play two games versus his hometown team. It should also be a fun matchup between rookie forwards Jabari Smith Jr. (Rockets) and Keegan Murray (Kings), who were drafted in consecutive picks at No. 3 and No. 4, overall, in the 2022 first round.

Kings’ Keegan Murray reacts to winning Rookie of the Month

Murray averaged 12.7 points and 3.5 rebounds in December to become the eighth Kings player to win the award.

Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray this week was named the Western Conference Rookie of the Month for December, becoming the eighth player in team history to win the award.

Murray averaged 12.7 points and 3.5 rebounds on 46.4% shooting from 3-point range in 14 games during the month. He was second in scoring among Western Conference rookies and first among all first-year players in 3-point percentage and total 3s.

His 39 triples were the most by a rookie in December since 1979.

“It is something I’m grateful for,” Murray said on Friday, via James Ham of ESPN 1320. “Obviously, not many guys are able to accomplish that. It is a cool accolade but we all have end goals as a team and that’s what I’m more focused on.”

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The fourth pick is averaging 11.5 points and 3.9 rebounds on 38.8% shooting from 3-point range in 35 games this season. He is fifth among all first-year players in scoring and is 10th in field-goal percentage (42.5) and first in total 3s (78).

Murray has experienced the typical rookie ups and downs thus far, but continues to produce in a variety of ways from the starting lineup. He has emerged as a key player with the Kings and is a key reason why the group is fifth in the Western Conference at 20-17.

He is using each game as an opportunity to improve.

“There are different things, offensively and defensively, that I have to pick up if I want to stay on the court,” Murray said. “All of the coaches work with me on different things so that’s kind of what I’ve been tuned into.”

Murray has looked to be as advertised as a top-five pick this year. He is rounding into form as a player and appears to have a bright future ahead in Sacramento.

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Paolo Banchero, Keegan Murray named NBA Rookies of the Month for December

Banchero and Murray were named the NBA Eastern and Western Conference Rookies of the Month for games played in December.

Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero and Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray on Tuesday were named the NBA Eastern and Western Conference Rookies of the Month for games played in December, the league announced.

Banchero became the ninth player in team history to earn the award after averaging 19.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.1 steals in 15 games. He led the rookie class in scoring and produced at least 20 points in seven straight games from Dec. 5-18, tying the longest streak by a rookie in franchise history (Shaquille O’Neal, Feb. 11-26, 1993).

Murray averaged 12.7 points and 3.5 rebounds on 46.4% shooting from 3-point range in 14 games. He is the eighth player in team history to win and was second in scoring among Western Conference rookies and first among all first-year players in 3-point percentage and total 3s. His 39 triples were the most by a rookie in December since 1979.

In addition to Banchero and Murray, Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin, Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey, Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams were among the players nominated for the award.

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Rookie Power Rankings: Jaden Ivey is efficiently finding his way for Pistons

Rookie Wire took a look at the top first-year players over the last two weeks of the 2022-23 season.

The 2022-23 season is through the much-anticipated Christmas Day slate of games as the NBA schedule progresses toward the start of a new year.

The rookie class looks to be rounding into form with several first-year players performing at a high level. The latest group of standouts includes several high picks along with others drafted down the board emerging.

To make sense of it all, we looked at the best recent performances of these first-year players and ranked them in the latest edition of the Rookie Wire Power Rankings. The rankings are not for Rookie of the Year purposes but, rather, to illustrate the best players week to week.