Keegan Murray is feeling like himself again after returning from injury

Jan 8, 2025, 4:24 PM | Updated: 4:25 pm

Sactown Sports writer

Keegan Murray has been dealing with an ankle injury since the beginning of December, at the latest. The first we heard of the Sacramento Kings forward dealing with inflammation in his left ankle was when he was named inactive for a matchup against the Denver Nuggets on Dec. 16th.

He provided some clarity on the injury the morning of their next game. “It was the Houston game,” Murray said on Dec. 19th. “I jammed my foot and I’ve just been playing through it and then the night before we played Denver it swelled up on me. It was just at a point where I couldn’t go.”

Murray played just under 40 minutes in the game he referenced against Houston and appeared in the five games after before his one-game off against the Nuggets.

“I felt good enough to play those games and I think it just caught up to me,” he continued.

Since those comments on Dec 19th, Keegan Murray averaged 32.1 minutes per game over the next six games—Sacramento’s lack of reliable two-way wing/forward depth results in a heavy responsibility placed on Murray.

His ankle assumedly swelled up again at the start of their home stand, where the third-year forward missed consecutive games for the first time this season. Fortunately, the Kings won both those showings and two more since Murray returned to action.

Keegan Murray’s last two games

at Golden State: 11 points, four rebounds, two assists, one steal, one block on 4/11 FG, 3/8 3P
vs. Miami: 14 points, 12 rebounds, one assists, one block on 5/10 FG, 4/6 3P

He hasn’t been scorching hot by any measures, but the Kings miss two-way production out there. Having three days off before starting a three-game road trip in Boston has allowed Murray (and De’Aaron Fox) more time to rehab and recover from lingering issues.

Keegan Murray was asked about the benefit of having these days off after Wednesday’s practice.

“I was banged up with my ankle thing that’s been an issue since December and a couple of other things,” he said. “So, just a shutdown to reset for the rest of the year because it’s a long year. It’s something that playing through would have caused even more time off.”

The 24-year-old said the time allowed him to get back to “just being healthy. Just being myself again and things like that. Kind of rejuvenated my body.”

“I think having those games off — obviously it’s not fun sitting out, I haven’t done that much in my career — I feel like it just rejuvenated me to get back to my normal self,” he said.

They take a long flight to Boston today before their matchup with the defending champion Celtics on Friday to kick off their three-game road trip that will take them to Chicago and Milwaukee.

More Sacramento Kings coverage on Sactown Sports

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How much of it has to do with the change from Mike Brown to Doug Christie a little over a week and a half ago?

One of the apparent differences is the number of minutes that two-way guard Keon Ellis has been playing. The trio dove into his recent impact and discussed his postgame comments on Doug Christie giving him a longer leash.

Now that they’re climbing back near .500 this season, how has our faith in this group changed? Do Monte McNair, Wes Wilcox, and the rest of Sacramento’s front office still need to make a move? You probably know our answer.

When is the next Sacramento Kings game?

Sacramento will leave the state of California for the first time since December 12th as they embark on a three-game road trip that begins with a matchup against the reigning NBA champion Boston Celtics on Friday afternoon.

The Kings have lost six straight games against the Celtics and haven’t won a game at TD Garden since March 19, 2021.

Be sure to catch all of the Kings vs. Celtics drama right here on Sactown Sports 1140 AM, with pregame coverage starting at 2:00 PM PT on Game Night before action tips off at 4:00 PM PT from downtown Boston.