The young Portland Trail Blazers were thoroughly dominated 116-103 by the veteran Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night in a game where the final score didn't reflect the one-sidedness of the game itself.
The Blazers found themselves down more than 20 points for the majority of the second half due to a Clippers defense that notched 15 steals. And, of course, a trio of Hall of Famers in James Harden, Kawhi Leonard, and Paul George that took turns toying with Portland's defense.
Despite the loss, things weren't all bad for the Blazers.
Rookie forward Kris Murray, who has played well in every facet of the game except for actually putting the ball in the basket since joining the Blazers' starting lineup coming out of the All-Star break, erupted for a career-high 17 points against the Clippers.
Murray shot 7-11 from the floor and, most critically, was 3-6 from the 3-point line. Murray, the twin brother of Kings sharpshooter Keegan Murray, has notably struggled from beyond the arc this season – shooting just 27 percent.
After the game, Murray talked about his performance.
“Just got in a rhythm early, and it helps a lot when a couple shots fall down. I feel like I was playing really well the last few games, so today it helped to just get those first couple.”
Murray, the 23rd pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, has shown himself to be a sort of Swiss Army Knife for the Blazers this season. He rebounds well, works hard on defense, and – while he waits for his shot to develop – prides himself on being extremely coachable. Earlier this season, head coach Chauncey Billups said that he calls Murray “One-Time,” because “you only have to tell him to do something once.
As the Blazers play out the string on a tough season, it will be key to watch the development of young players like Murray as the team prepares itself to take a step forward next year. While Portland has forwards Jerami Grant, Matisse Thybulle, and Toumani Camara in the team, Murray has eked out a place in the rotation and fits in well with a starting unit that surrounds him with Grant, Deandre Ayton, Anfernee Simons, and Scoot Henderson. In that lineup, Murray isn't required to do much playmaking, and can instead focus on the things he does well – rebound, defend, and set solid screens.
The key for Murray's future will be the 3-point shot. He doesn't necessarily need to be a deadeye, knock down long distance shooter, but if he can turn into a corner threat and shoot somewhere around 36 or 37 percent, the Blazers will be in a good position moving forward.
Up next for Portland – a rematch against the Clippers at home on Friday night.
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