How did Sacramento Kings perform in the 2021 NBA Summer League? We take a closer look at the numbers and the story behind them
![The Sacramento Kings win the 2021 Las Vegas Summer League Championship Game. [Image by John Locher/Associated Press via Valdosta Daily Times]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2021/08/ed33a-16292785707890-800.jpg?w=500)
The Sacramento Kings routed the Boston Celtics 100-67 to win the NBA’s 2021 Summer League championship in Las Vegas, Nevada on Tuesday. By going 5-0 in the tournament, the Kings posted the best record in Sin City.
The Sacramento Kings’ championship performance
The 2021 Summer League title was the Sacramento Kings’ second since the league adopted the tournament format in 2013. They became the first team to win the title more than once.
The Kings were led by championship MVP Louis King, who recorded 21 points on 8-of-18 shooting and 4-of-8 from behind the arc. He also put up three rebounds and five steals in a terrific display of his skills on both ends of the court.
The Sacramento Kings overcame a slow start that saw them trail 12-2 to the Celtics in the first quarter. But from there, the Kings clamped down defensively, forcing Boston into committing an atrocious 28 turnovers for the game while scoring 38 points off of them.
It was a massacre from the third quarter onwards. The Kings tightened the screws on almost every possession as the Celtics shot just 39.0 percent for the game.
The defensive intensity of the Kings was in stark contrast to the more offensive-minded regular season team. If Summer League head coach Bobby Jackson instilled anything in these players, it’s that defense wins championships.
Jahmi'us Ramsey scored 16 points and Matt Coleman III contributed 14 points to the Sacramento Kings’ cause.
Davion Mitchell struggled from the field. The No. 9 pick of the 2021 NBA Draft had nine points on 3-of-12 shooting, but he was the top assist man for the Kings with seven. He locked down poor Payton Pritchard, who had just four points on 2-of-6 shooting from the field.
Emanuel Terry was another standout in the game. He had nine points and a game-high 15 rebounds to power the Kings’ 43-39 advantage on the boards. Though he shot just 3-of-9 from the field, Terry picked the Celtics’ pockets multiple times with five steals to tie King for the team lead.
Taking a look at Sacramento Kings' 2021 NBA Summer League campaign
The Sacramento Kings lost two straight Summer League games in the California Classic, and were looking to break the losing streak in Las Vegas. They did so in spectacular fashion with a perfect 5-0 record, including comprehensively winning the championship game.
In Las Vegas, the Sacramento Kings averaged a sixth-best 89.0 points per game and shot 42.8 percent from the field. They led all 30 teams in steals with 14.0 per game and were ninth in offensive rebounding, which gave them additional chances to score.
Individual performances of the Sacramento Kings
King may have been the MVP but it was Ramsey who was the team’s top scorer of the tournament with 16.2 points in 25.0 minutes per contest. He played just 13 games for the Kings during his rookie season, but is poised to increase his exposure after a strong Summer League performance.
King’s performance will go a long way into getting him ready for more action in the NBA, after two seasons playing mostly in the G League. The promise he has shown during the Summer League should be enough for the Sacramento Kings to give him a shot at a guaranteed contract. The Kings signed him to a two-way deal last season and played six regular-season games for them.
In five games in Las Vegas, King backed Ramsey with averages of 14.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.2 steals per game for the Sacramento Kings.
Mitchell was just what the Kings expected him to be - a dogged defender with some offensive skills that need a bit of polishing. The potential is there for him to be a part of coach Luke Walton’s expected three-guard lineup.
During the tournament, the 22-year old averaged 10.8 points on 42.3 percent shooting with 5.8 assists and 1.0 steals per game. Mitchell’s defense remained strong throughout the tournament and it will take him places in the NBA.
Terry was a solid contributor on the boards for the Sacramento Kings, with 8.6 rebounds per game while contributing just enough offense (7.2 points) to keep defenses from sagging off of him.
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