Murray Wants To Turn Kings Fans Into Home Court Advantage

Loyal Sacramento Kings fans haven't had much to cheer for this season, with a 1-11 team after losing to the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday.

The Golden 1 Center becomes one of the league's loudest arenas when Sacramento makes clutch plays in close games. Fans filled the arena, donning their Kings gear and shaking cowbells in the team's first-round series against the Golden State Warriors in 2023.

Even with a 22-60 record last season, the team lit the royal purple beam that pierced the sky after every win. A tradition that gives the Kings energy to play every night.

Keegan Murray played a key role in breaking a 16-year playoff drought in 2023. He witnessed the crazy fans and was part of the "Beam Team."

The 26-year-old wants to experience that feeling again. Murray said he's been telling his teammates that if they can turn it around and win, the home crowd becomes a built-in advantage.

Sacramento has reached the tail end of its seven-game home stand. It's lost all five home games, with the lone win coming on the road against the Dallas Mavericks.

Nothing has worked in the team's favor during the losing streak. The Kings won in five categories against the Trail Blazers: points in the paint, second-chance points, fast-break points, assist-to-turnover ratio and points off turnovers.

They still lost by 13 points. Deni Avdija's 34 points and Damian Lillard's 29 were too much for the offense to overcome.

The Kings' home slate doesn't get easier. They face off against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday and the Phoenix Suns next Wednesday.

Even without Chet Holgrem and Jalen Williams, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is one of the highest-scoring players. He's averaging 30.5 points on 46.3/34.5/85.6 splits and is fresh off a 40-point performance in a loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday.

Phoenix has a dynamic scoring backcourt in Devin Booker and Jalen Green. Booker is a textbook mid-range assassin, and Green is a shifty, athletic finisher.

Rookie Darius Acuff Jr. and Zach LaVine aren't anywhere near a serviceable defensive backcourt, which is key to Sacramento's defensive woes. It puts more pressure on De'Andre Hunter and Murray to take those assignments nightly.

The Kings dug deep and found heart to beat Dallas by 15 points. They need to do the same during this home stretch to come out with a win and reignite the loud cheers from the passionate fans in the Golden 1 Center.