Twin Battle, Trade Rumors, and a Tale of Two Teams: Kings vs. Blazers Preview
The Murray twins are back at it again tonight as the Sacramento Kings roll into Portland to take on the Trail Blazers. It’ll be the seventh NBA showdown between Keegan and Kris Murray-brother vs. brother, twin vs. twin, and so far, Keegan has the edge. Sacramento’s won four of the first six matchups, but this one feels a little different.
That’s because the Kings are limping into Moda Center, both literally and figuratively. Sacramento is in a full-on tailspin.
They’re sitting at the bottom of the league in offensive rating (30th), net rating (29th), points per game (28th), and defensive rating (27th). Injuries have played a role-Domantas Sabonis and Keegan Murray have missed time-but the bigger issue might be chemistry, or the lack thereof.
The trio of Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Sabonis hasn’t clicked, and the defense has been getting shredded. Blowout losses have become all too common, and it’s starting to feel like a reset could be on the horizon.
Portland, meanwhile, comes in with a little wind in its sails. The Blazers just took down the Golden State Warriors, a win that shook things up enough to prompt Steve Kerr to tinker with his starting lineup.
That’s no small feat, especially for a banged-up squad like Portland. They’ve had four days of rest, and they’ll need every bit of it with a long injury list that includes Scoot Henderson, Jrue Holiday, Damian Lillard, Matisse Thybulle, and Blake Wesley-all out.
Game Info:
- Matchup: Portland Trail Blazers (10-16) vs. Sacramento Kings (6-20)
- Date: Thursday, Dec. 18
- Time: 7:00 PM PT
- TV: Rip City Television Network
- Streaming: BlazerVision (OR/WA), League Pass (national)
- Radio: Trail Blazers Audio Network
Injury Report:
- Blazers: Scoot Henderson, Jrue Holiday, Damian Lillard, Matisse Thybulle, Blake Wesley - Out
- Kings: Drew Eubanks, Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, Javonte Cooke - Out
What to Watch: The Murray Matchup
This one’s got a personal twist. Kris and Keegan Murray have been going at it since backyard battles and one-on-one gym sessions that got so heated their dad had to kick them out.
“That was probably the best moment,” Keegan said, remembering when they realized they could lock each other down. “We’ve had a lot of good moments back and forth.”
Now, they’re carving out different paths in the league. Kris is a rotation piece for Portland’s second unit, averaging 5.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 25 minutes per game.
Keegan, despite battling some injuries and inconsistencies, is a key piece in Sacramento’s future. He’s logging heavy minutes-37 a night-and putting up 14.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.7 blocks.
It’s not just a fun sibling storyline-it’s a real basketball matchup that could have an impact on how this game plays out.
The Kings’ Coaching Conundrum
There’s no sugarcoating it: the Kings are a mess right now. Since Vivek Ranadive took over as co-governor, the franchise has cycled through nine head coaches. Doug Christie is the latest to take the helm, and the early returns haven’t been promising.
Last season, Christie managed to hold things together with remnants of Mike Brown’s staff still in place. This year, it’s all new faces on the bench, and it shows.
The offense has no rhythm, and despite having legitimate scoring talent, the team looks disjointed and, at times, disinterested. That’s a red flag.
When a team looks like it doesn’t want to be out there, the spotlight shifts to the head coach-and right now, that spotlight is burning hot.
Trade Winds Blowing in Sacramento
League sources say Kings GM Scott Perry is open for business. Sacramento appears ready to move on from its veteran core, with Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Domantas Sabonis reportedly available ahead of the trade deadline.
But not everyone’s on the block. Keegan Murray and Nique Clifford are considered foundational pieces and are said to be off-limits in trade talks. That signals a clear direction: build around the youth, retool with future assets, and try to get this thing back on track.
Scouting the Kings: Familiar Faces in New Places
The Blazers coaching staff knows this Kings team well. Assistant coach Quinton Crawford got his NBA start in Sacramento as a video coordinator back in 2015. More recently, he led the Kings’ G League affiliate, the Stockton Kings, to a championship in the 2024-25 season.
Jonah Herscu, now heading up the Rip City Remix, also spent time with Sacramento as both a scout and assistant coach. If there’s an edge to be found in familiarity, Portland has it.
Deni Avdija: Portland’s Breakout Star
While the Blazers have been hit hard by injuries, one bright spot has been the emergence of Deni Avdija. Or as fans and teammates are calling him, “Turbo.” He’s been the breakout success story of the season, and the team is officially pushing to get him into the All-Star Game.
And just so we’re all saying it right-it’s AHV-dee-yah.
Final Thoughts
It’s a matchup between two struggling teams, but there’s no shortage of storylines. A twin showdown.
A franchise teetering on the edge of a rebuild. A young Blazers squad trying to find its footing.
And a rising star in Avdija giving Portland fans something to rally around.
The Kings may have the recent edge in the Murray Bowl, but tonight, with both teams limping and looking for answers, it’s anyone’s game.