The Sacramento Kings beat the Los Angeles Clippers 91-85 to improve to 4-0 across the California Classic and Las Vegas Summer League. Sacramento limited Los Angeles to 33 percent shooting from the field. The Kings built a double-digit lead that held for most of the fourth quarter before a late 10-0 Clippers run made it close.
Emanuel Sharp led all scorers with 21 points. He added four steals and two rebounds while knocking down three triples. Sharp attacked the rim, created extra possessions with hustle plays and provided consistent defensive disruption that gave Sacramento advantages on both ends. His third triple came after a media timeout in the fourth and pushed the lead back to nine points.
Darius Acuff Jr. finished with 12 points. He scored just three in the first quarter before adding nine in the second. Acuff came up with a loose ball at half court midway through the second, beat four defenders in transition and finished with a tough and-one. That sequence highlighted his improved pace and ability to push the ball after a slow start against fellow high draft pick Keaton Wagler.
Alex Karaban returned from injury for his Summer League debut and went scoreless on 0-for-6 shooting. Yet the forward created value away from the ball by finding open looks that should translate once his shot falls. Sacramento also got strong minutes from second-year big man Dylan Cardwell, who opened the game with a dunk off an Alex Karaban pass, and from Baba Miller. Miller knocked down a fourth-quarter triple and recorded multiple blocks during the late surge that nearly erased the lead.
The Kings forced turnovers through constant pressure on Clippers ball handlers. That defense held Los Angeles to 17 points in the third quarter and generated the transition chances that fueled their edge. Cam Christie led the Clippers with nine points and four rebounds after the first quarter, but Sacramento weathered his early scoring burst and every subsequent rally.
This victory builds on Sacramento's momentum from the California Classic and sets up a Sunday, July 12, game at 8 p.m. against the Washington Wizards and No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa. The front office will evaluate how the young group maintains defensive habits and transition execution against increased athleticism and physicality. Miller's timely contributions in the fourth also offered a reminder of why the Cincinnati forward drew pre-draft attention from the Kings despite the late drama.
