The Sacramento Kings will need to grab every win possible through their last eight games after dropping three of four last week.
Their lone victory came on Thursday in a 128-107 routing over the Portland Trail Blazers. Third-year forward Kris Murray logged 17 points, seven rebounds, and one assist on 64 percent shooting to aid the Kings’ win.
As for the other three matchups, the Kings faced playoff-caliber teams in the Boston Celtics, the West’s top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, and the Orlando Magic.
Sacramento’s 133-95 loss to Boston on Monday featured Murray’s 13 points, five rebounds, two steals, and one assist, followed by a 28-point, six-rebound, three-block, one steal performance in the 121-105 loss to the Thunder.
Sacramento wrapped up the disappointing week with a 121-91 blowout loss to Orlando on Saturday, in which Murray recorded a measly nine points, three rebounds, and three blocks.
The Kings, now 3-7 in their last 10 games, have slipped down to the 10th seed in the Western Conference standings with a 36-38 record. They’re half a game behind the Dallas Mavericks for the ninth spot and one-and-a-half games ahead of the Phoenix Suns for the last play-in spot.
Kris Murray
The Portland Trail Blazers lost all three contests last week with second-year forward Kris Murray appearing in just two of them.
Murray didn’t record a single stat in six minutes of action on Thursday as the Blazers gave the Kings their only win last week. He also went scoreless while reeling in one rebound in five minutes in the 110-93 falling to the New York Knicks on Sunday.
He didn’t see any playing time in the 122-111 loss to the East’s top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday.
The Trail Blazers’ playoff chances continue to slip away as they’re now four-and-a-half games behind Sacramento with a 32-43 record, a lottery pick in order if this trend continues.
Luka Garza
Minnesota Timberwolves center Luka Garza appeared in two of the team’s three-game stretch last week.
The fourth-year big played a total of five minutes between the 119-103 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Monday and the 123-104 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday and went on to record six points and an assist.
He didn’t touch the floor in Friday’s 124-109 win over the Phoenix Suns.
The seventh-seeded Timberwolves have won seven of their last 10 contests in pursuit of the last guaranteed playoff spot. With a 43-32 record, they sit behind the Golden State Warriors who are currently half a game ahead. Minnesota is also half a game ahead of the Los Angeles Clippers.