NBA Summer League 2021: Sacramento Kings vs Washington Wizards Prediction & Match Preview - August 10th, 2021
The Sacramento Kings will take on the Washington Wizards in their second game of the 2021 NBA Summer League on Tuesday.
The Kings are coming off an 80-70 win over the Charlotte Hornets, while the Wizards will be playing their first match of the tournament.
The Washington Wizards were supposed to play their first game on Sunday against the Indiana Pacers. However, the match was postponed due to the league's COVID-19 health and safety protocols.
Here's what the NBA said in a press release on Sunday:
"Because of ongoing contact tracing within the Wizards, the team does not have enough available players to proceed with tonight's game against the Pacers."
Match Details
Fixture - Sacramento Kings vs Washington Wizards | NBA Las Vegas Summer League 2021
Date & Time - Tuesday, August 10th, 10:00 PM ET (Wednesday, 7:30 AM IST)
Venue - Cox Pavilion, Las Vegas, NV
Sacramento Kings Preview
The Sacramento Kings put in a great defensive performance against the Charlotte Hornets in their opening game of the Las Vegas Summer League. The Kings' first-round pick, Davion Mitchell, was in great form. He tallied 10 points, nine assists, a steal and a block while shooting 5-of-10 from the floor.
Fourth-year forward Chimezie Metu (16 points) and second-year guard Jahmi'us Ramsey (22 points) also shone for the team, carrying most of the load on offense.
The Sacramento Kings shot the ball well from the field, making 44% of their shots. However, they struggled to control the ball on offense, committing 17 turnovers. That is one area they will have to improve. The Hornets ended up scoring 34 points off the Kings' turnovers.
Also Check out: Sacramento Kings Complete NBA Summer League Schedule
Key Player - Davion Mitchell
The #9 pick from this year's draft, Davion Mitchell, was one of the standout performers from Day 2 of the 2021 NBA Summer League tournament.
The guard has Sacramento Kings fans excited for next season as they look forward to seeing more of him. The Kings struggled immensely in defense last season and will be happy to have acquired Mitchell in the draft.
His skill set was on full display against the Charlotte Hornets as he restricted rookie James Bounknight to 2-8 shooting from the field and forced him to commit four turnovers.
Mitchell has been in stellar form since the 2021 California Classic Summer League. He will be key to his side's hopes of continuing their winning run in Las Vegas.
Sacramento Kings Predicted Lineup
G - Davion Mitchell l G - Jahmi'us Ramsey l F - Louis King l F - Chimezie Metu l C - Neemias Queta.
Washington Wizards Preview
The Washington Wizards have a fairly inexperienced roster at their disposal in the 2021 NBA Summer League. 2021 first-round pick Corey Kispert (15th overall), the 31st overall pick, Isaiah Todd,’ two-way guard Cassius Winston and rookie Caleb Homesley will be headlining the Wizards roster.
However, the Washington Wizards announced on Saturday night that Cassius Winston, Issuf Sanon and Isaiah Todd have all entered the COVID-19 health and safety protocols. They have been replaced by Cheick Diallo, Asante Gist and Derrick Walton Jr. The three players in the protocols are listed as day-to-day.
Should they play on Tuesday, all are expected to get heavy minutes, especially Cassius Winston, as the Washington Wizards will need their backcourt rotation to be solid for the upcoming 2020-21 NBA season. Wes Unseld Jr., the team's new head coach, will be leading the team in the Summer League.
Key Player - Corey Kispert
With Cassius Winston placed under COVID-19 health and safety protocols and listed as day-to-day, the Washington Wizards' latest first-round pick, Corey Kispert, will have to play a key role for the team.
Kispert plays as a small forward and is widely regarded as the best shooter from the 2021 NBA Draft. If he does indeed lead the charge for the team, he will likely be the focal point of their offense against the Sacramento Kings.
Washington Wizards Predicted Lineup
G - Derrick Walton Jr. l G - Austin Hollins l F - Corey Kispert l F - Cheick Diallo l C - Marques Bolden.
Kings vs Wizards Prediction
The Sacramento Kings are the overwhelming favorites to win this tie. The Washington Wizards could be missing key players on Tuesday, which tilts the game in the Kings' favor.
The Sacramento Kings have had an ample amount of game-time in recent weeks, which will benefit them immensely against the Washington Wizards.
Where to watch the Kings vs Wizards game
The game between the Sacramento Kings and the Washington Wizards will be televised nationally on NBA TV. Fans can also stream the match online via the NBA League Pass.
Also Read: NBA Summer League 2021: Atlanta Hawks vs Indiana Pacers Prediction & Match Preview - August 10th, 2021
Also Check out: Complete NBA Summer league Schedule 2021