Kings 91, Clippers 85: Sharp Delivers, Acuff Creates as Kings Down Clippers

The summer Kings got their first taste of Las Vegas action last night against the Los Angeles Clippers and notched another victory to their belt, winning 91-85.  Second round rookie Emanuel Sharp led the way for the Kings with 21 points, 4 steals and absolutely smothering defense and Darius Acuff Jr. added 19 points, 7 assists and 2 steals in the effort.  It was a sloppy game as all summer league games tend to be, but there was still plenty to take away.

Sharp shines once again

Someone get Scott Perry some more second round picks because for the second straight year it seems like he’s absolutely nailed it.  Emanuel Sharp is an absolute whirling dervish on defense, and he bullied poor Keaton Wagler in his summer league debut.  Sharp may as well have been inside some player’s uniforms and it frankly is kind of amazing he only finished the night with 1 foul.  At one point he got screened but barely registered it as he just barreled right on through and kept up with his man. He also tallied 4 steals as he stopped several Clippers possessions by himself.

But Sharp isn’t just a defensive menace, he also managed to lead the entire game in scoring with 21 points.  He hit 3-8 from downtown, and also got the line 8 times.  Sharp’s definitely not as much of a self-creator as someone like Acuff, but he’s also not afraid to go and get a bucket if he needs to.  He’s also got a very quick trigger from downtown.  The more I watch Sharp, the more impressed I am with his effort and energy and think he’s in line to get real minutes very early on in his career. I think he’s going to quickly become a fan favorite as more Kings fans become familiar with his game.

Darius Acuff expects more from himself

Darius Acuff had a solid Vegas debut with 19 points, 7 assists and 2 steals but did have another rocky shooting night at just 6-20 from the field.  I do think that a few of his shots he only took because he thought he got fouled, but there wasn’t a whistle, but alas that’s being a Sacramento King for you so he might as well get used to it now.  I do like how he continues to get good looks and is able to create his own shot seemingly at will.  The Kings have needed someone who can put their stamp on the game for a while and Acuff definitely has that ability.  The efficiency will come with time and I’m not particularly worried about it at this juncture.

While his shooting may not have been up to par just yet, his playmaking was spectacular.  Acuff had a team-high 7 assists, but probably should have had at least 10 if his teammates could have converted on some easy looks (and a couple of his passes ended up getting guys to the line).  His most spectacular pass of the night was a no look pass to fellow rookie Alex Karaban that should have been an easy layup but instead rolled out.  He also had a couple of assists that came after he seemingly committed to a jump shot, but then passed out of it finding the open man (usually Cardwell) at the rim.  That’s a dangerous habit, but he made it look easy.  Acuff’s scoring gravity is hard to ignore, and it really opens up his playmaking opportunities.

I also thought Acuff competed really well defensively, and this was probably the best defensive game we’ve seen from him yet.  He kept up with his man, and also used his quick hands to blow up a couple of entry passes to create steals.  I wouldn’t say his defense was great, but I also don’t think it was bad and the effort was definitely there and might have also contributed to his poor shooting due to tired legs.

But Acuff’s harshest critic was himself, and I loved absolutely everything about both of his post-game interviews.  It’s clear he holds himself to a higher standard and is hungry to get better and win.  That’s the type of mentality I want to see in a player that could be the face of the franchise.

Alex Karaban makes his debut

Alex Karaban made his debut for the Kings after missing the entire California Classic with a sprained ankle, and he looked rusty as a result. Karaban didn’t score in 24 minutes, going 0-6 from the field along with 3 turnovers.  It was a rough debut for the Kings other first round pick, but I do think there were some good takeaways too despite the rough shooting night.  Karaban was almost always in the right spot on both ends of the court, and had some good help defense that netted him a block at one point.  Karaban managed to find gaps in the defense on multiple occasions with his off-ball movement, he just wasn’t able to punish the Clippers for it thanks to some rough shooting.  Hopefully he manages to get a bit more rhythm going in his next few games.

Dylan Cardwell is new-era Scot Pollard

Dylan Cardwell maybe this generations version of Scot Pollard: A goofy energy big who is an absolute wrecking ball on both ends of the court.  Cardwell was the best big on the court, tallying 15 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks, but he also used up 9 of his 10 allotted fouls in just over 24 minutes of action.  He’ll need to watch that physicality a little bit going forward, but it’s also part of what makes him fun to watch and fires the crowd up. He’s got a bit of an edge to him despite his goofy personality and I think this team needs that.  I also liked seeing him let it fly from three once despite him missing; summer league is the time for experimentation.  He also made all three of his free throw attempts after struggling with those back at the Classic.

Nique Clifford could be more aggressive

Nique didn’t have a bad game, scoring 13 points on 4-8 shooting to go with 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals and a block in 26 minutes, but I really would like to see him try to assert himself more often. He had a couple of plays particularly in the second half where he did attack the basket with decisiveness, but I do think he’s still being a bit too passive for my liking.  He’s clearly playing second-fiddle to Acuff in the pecking order, but he should probably get his FGA up a little bit more.  Defensively I thought he was excellent, although a bit too handsy at times and did end up with 6 fouls.

Other Observations

• Jonathan Mogbo is fun and the more I see from him the more I see a real potential NBA player.  The only thing really holding him back is a reliable outside shot, but he even showed that last night on a nice make from the corner.  His energy on defense is nice (7 rebounds, 1 steal and 1 block) but he also had some nice passes (3 assists).  Mogbo finished with 12 points and I could see him getting some spot minutes on the team throughout the season.  On a sidenote, does anyone else think that Mogbo looks like if someone gave Keon Ellis Captain America serum?
• Marquel Sutton has also impressed me throughout summer league and he had another solid game off the bench with 9 points and 5 rebounds while making all four of his shots.  He moves well on both ends of the court and he has legit size.
• Isaiah Stevens had a nice stint as a playmaker, tallying 5 assists in just 12 minutes.
• Adam Flagler continues to perplex me.  He went 0-6 and really didn’t showcase much. I’d rather give his two-way spot to Sutton at this point.  Flagler did try hard on defense though.
• Keaton Wagler looked invisible this game, going 1-7 with his only make being a three off a second chance after the defense had collapsed for a rebound. The Kings did a really good job pressuring him the entire game, but even still he was hardly able to assert himself at all and failed to gain separation even when Acuff was the one guarding him.  Wagler’s lack of athleticism was one of the question marks for him heading into the draft, and I think those questions will continue to persist until he can prove otherwise.  I do think he will look better playing with actual real NBA talent, but I’m not sure if he’ll ever be able to be the go-to guy on an NBA team.  Again, this is just one Summer League game that doesn’t prove anything but I was not impressed.
• Baba Miller on the other hand showed me exactly why I liked him for us as a potential second round pick. Miller had 12 points, 5 rebounds, 3 blocks and 1 assist in 27 minutes and looked every bit the type of two-way roleplayer wing that is very valuable in this league. He also hit his lone three point attempt and made 3 of 4 free throws. If Miller learns how to shoot, he’ll be in the league for years.

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The Kings next play on Sunday, when they’ll take on #1 pick AJ Dybantsa and the Wizards.