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Mar 25, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren (7) battles for position with Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (13) in the first quarter at the Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

Keegan Murray's Honest Statement After Kings Loss to Thunder

Originally posted on Sacramento Kings on SI
By Justin Kovacs | Last updated Mar 26, 2025 12:02 PM ET

Doug Christie Wants More from Kings after 2-Game Skid

The Sacramento Kings came into Golden 1 Center last night having lost three games in a row and seven of their last nine. There aren’t many statistical measures the Kings can point to that illustrate their success this season, and it is becoming increasingly likely that the season will end sooner than many expected.

The Oklahoma City Thunder, on the other hand, entered the game against the Kings on Tuesday night with the best record in the NBA, leading the league in several key metrics, and are on pace for a historic point differential, outscoring their opponents by an average of 12.9 points per game.

One bright spot in the Kings’ 121-105 loss to the Thunder was Keegan Murray. The third-year forward scored 28 points on an absolutely blistering 9-of-13 shooting from the three point line. Murray also added six rebounds and three blocks for the game.

Keegan Murray tonight:

— 28 PTS
— 6 REB
— 3 BLK
— 1 STL
— 9-13 3P

KEEGAN MURRAY pic.twitter.com/P6GnsBJTif
— KingsMuse (@kings_muse) March 26, 2025

In fact, five of Murray’s made threes came in a third quarter run that saw the Kings cut a 23 point deficit to just 7. It was the most life we’ve seen from the Kings in the last four games. After the game, Murray said “We turned it around in the third quarter, but at that point it’s too late.”

Keegan Murray: "We turned it around in the third quarter, but at that point it's too late."

He pointed to OKC's transition success in the first half as one of the key issues.
— Brenden Nunes (@BrendenNunesNBA) March 26, 2025

The last two words of that quote feel as though they could apply to the Kings’ chances of playing postseason basketball this year as well. The third-quarter run they made against Oklahoma City that ultimately came up short could be viewed as a microcosm of their season: trying to win some key games down the stretch to solidify their position in the Play-In Tournament, but it might be too late.

One thing that Sacramento’s recent play has lacked is a sense of urgency. To be clear, I don’t mean effort: the Kings players and coaches are giving it their all every time they step on the court. I simply mean that they don’t seem to be playing with the level of urgency - and maybe even desperation - that I would expect from a team with such a tenuous grip on the No.9 spot in the standings.

Anyone can see that the Kings are not exactly playing their best basketball at the moment. But for a few minutes in the third quarter on Tuesday night, they certainly did. Defensive effort and activity led to better looks on the offensive end, and players (especially Murray) were knocking down shots.

For those several minutes, it was a lot of fun. Fans will just have to hope that it isn’t too late for the Kings to put it all together and hang on to their spot for the last 10 games of the season.

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This article first appeared on Sacramento Kings on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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