Keegan “KEEGAN MURRAY” Murray
- Thread starter Tetsujin
- Start date
Had to check some matches of Keegan to make sure that wasn't a typo for Jamal Murray instead since it's DEN written after his name. But yeah Keegan had those vs Miami, Washington, Utah, Orlando, Brooklyn and Cleveland.
I don't know if it's a coincidence but all of these matches were at home (where he averages above 18 points, and less than 13 on the road) and apart from the Utah masterclass all were vs teams from the East and all were victories apart from the one vs Heat. So Keegan gets it going hearing the chant for his name in the stands?
I don't know if it's a coincidence but all of these matches were at home (where he averages above 18 points, and less than 13 on the road) and apart from the Utah masterclass all were vs teams from the East and all were victories apart from the one vs Heat. So Keegan gets it going hearing the chant for his name in the stands?
Keegan Murray has hit 28 free throws in a row, avoided some jinx from Mark Jones in that span that he had mentioned him. Last missed free throw was at Dallas in 27th of January, he made the 3 last ones in that match and has 25/25 in the 20 matches that followed (shooting free throws in only 8 of them though).
He has 84% this season (hitting 84/100) and if he wants to break the NBA record (97 from Minnesota's Michael Williams) with the frequency he gets to the line even if we make it to the NBA Finals it's unlikely he will shoot 72 more the current season. I think I never saw him hitting the technical free throw, Monk used to do that and I think Fox and Huerter shot when Monk was benched.
He has 84% this season (hitting 84/100) and if he wants to break the NBA record (97 from Minnesota's Michael Williams) with the frequency he gets to the line even if we make it to the NBA Finals it's unlikely he will shoot 72 more the current season. I think I never saw him hitting the technical free throw, Monk used to do that and I think Fox and Huerter shot when Monk was benched.
I don’t think it’s cause for worry but I don’t think we can count on his shooting this year so we should just plan in it not being there consistently. With all the other major strides he made this year he can go into the offseason just dialing in the consistency of his shot.
We have not been very good from three as a whole which is maybe a good sign for the post season. We have found ways to compete without it.
No. The trajectory on his three-point shot has been too flat, or low, in recent weeks. In terms of geometry, the ball has a much better chance of going through the hoop when it is coming from a nearly vertical trajectory. Basketball shots are a little like golf, in that the ball rises, then falls at a steeper angle. But you have to get that rising arc to begin with, and Keegan often fails to do that.
The problem is certainly correctible, though why no one on the Kings staff--or for that matter, another player--has helped him with this, I have no idea.
The problem is certainly correctible, though why no one on the Kings staff--or for that matter, another player--has helped him with this, I have no idea.
With few exceptions he is having issues with the 3pt shoot whole season , so nothing new ...
first season he was making 3pt records , this season he is an elite defender and rebound more , next season he will combine both and in 3 we will watch him All-Star game
first season he was making 3pt records , this season he is an elite defender and rebound more , next season he will combine both and in 3 we will watch him All-Star game
Most encouraging for me is the fact that Keegan is starting to get himself to the line -- 2.6 times per game so far in March which is up from his season average of 1.7 per game and way up from his rookie season average of 1 attempt per game. This is where he has the most ground to make up as a scorer and unfortunately, he plays for Sacramento not Boston so he's never going to get the same calls Tatum does. But if he's getting around 4 FTA per game to go with his 7 attempted threes and improved efficiency it's not hard to imagine he works his way into that All-Star conversation by year 4 -- slightly behind Tatum's pace (he made the team in Year 3).
Last edited:
As much as I want this to happen, I doubt it can be done with Fox, Sabonis and Monk in the squad that take most of the shots during a game. Perhaps the presence of Ellis in the lineup can be beneficial for him because a. Keegan won't have to guard the opponents best player the whole time b. He will be getting more chances to shoot the ball compared with the ones when Huerter starts, but still it won't be so easy to get 15+ shots in order to score 20+ more points at a regular base. He has improved his "inside" game a lot in offense and can run well in the fast breaks that we tend to create more lately (again due to Keon's presence).
All he needs to do to get there (22 PPG) from here (14.7 PPG) is make 1.7 more threes per game and 2 more free throws. If he bounces back on his 3pt shooting to somewhere close to 40%, absorbs some of the 3pt attempts that HB, Huerter, and Fox are taking this season, and continues to show progress in getting himself to the free throw line more (and knocking down 85-90% of those free throws he does get) I think this is reasonably doable.
Keegan has not been afraid to let fly from deep when he's shooting well (5 for 10 against the Lakers last week, 7 for 11 against Miami at the end of January, that incredible 12 for 15 game against Utah back in December) -- It's on his poor shooting nights that he gets passive on offense. Suffering less poor shooting nights over the course of a season will help him get those attempts up. Also, as a volume three point shooter he's always going to be streaky so it might not be a steady 22 every night, but more like 15 ppg most nights with a heathy dose of big 30+ point games sprinkled throughout.
Keegan has not been afraid to let fly from deep when he's shooting well (5 for 10 against the Lakers last week, 7 for 11 against Miami at the end of January, that incredible 12 for 15 game against Utah back in December) -- It's on his poor shooting nights that he gets passive on offense. Suffering less poor shooting nights over the course of a season will help him get those attempts up. Also, as a volume three point shooter he's always going to be streaky so it might not be a steady 22 every night, but more like 15 ppg most nights with a heathy dose of big 30+ point games sprinkled throughout.
Averaging 1.7 more 3's and 2 more free throws may not seem like a lot, but it actually is. To put things in perspective, Klay Thompson has never increased his 3 pointers made 1.7 more from 1 season to the next season. It took him 9 years to gradually get it increased 1.9. Heck even curry has never done it through just one year and he's possibly the best shooter ever. Not saying it's impossible, but just seems extremely unlikely through 1 year. We would like him to surprise all of us though because he did after all break the record for most 3's for a rookie.
Tatum averaged 1.4 more made threes in his third season compared to his second season and that was 4 years ago when teams weren't shooting 40 threes a game like they are now. Keegan would need to take about 4 more threes a game, but I'm assuming there will be roster changes this summer to support that. Currently Barnes and Huerter are combining to take 10.1 threes per game. One or both of them might be gone next year. Also, if Keegan is hot from deep more often next season than some of those Fox/Monk fourth quarter pulls will go to Keegan instead.
All I'm saying is, don't count this guy out. He's been obliterating expectations since he got into the league.
All I'm saying is, don't count this guy out. He's been obliterating expectations since he got into the league.
What makes me nervous with him is his shot doesn't always look like that. It seems like when he's on his shot is a lot more textbook. Better rotation, better release point, more arc, etc. Then when he's struggling it looks completely different. Less rotation, uses his left hand more, seems like he pushes the ball more. It almost comes out looking like a knuckleball at times. I watched a lot of him in college and I never noticed this, it seems like it's something he developed in the NBA.