The Celtics and Kings meet Wednesday night in each team’s fourth NBA Summer League game, and Boston enters with a clearer edge after three outings in Las Vegas.
Boston started with an 83-80 overtime win over the Raptors, followed that with an 87-75 victory against the Hornets, then dropped a 102-90 decision to the Hawks on Monday. Sacramento opened with a 91-85 win over the Clippers, but its last two games have gone sideways fast - a 104-95 loss to Washington and a 115-83 defeat to Brooklyn.
That recent stretch has put the Kings in a tough spot, especially with no break between games. The Celtics have had the better run so far, and the rest advantage matters here even in a setting built around development rather than results.
The player to watch is Darius Acuff Jr., the seventh overall pick by the Kings in this year’s NBA Draft. The Arkansas guard had 19 and 12 points in his first two games, then broke out against the Nets on Tuesday with a team-high 26 points on 9 of 18 shooting, including 2 of 6 from deep, plus 5 assists. Now he has to turn around quickly and do it again against Boston in a back-to-back.
Sacramento was essentially a two-man show on Tuesday, and that’s part of why the matchup points toward the Celtics. Boston has looked like the more complete team, while the Kings have had trouble staying competitive in their last two losses.
My pick is Boston to cover the spread against a Sacramento team that has already been pushed around in its last two games.
In Other News...
Celtics May Be Leaning Toward A Center Choice Fans Wont Expect
Bostons center picture is suddenly one of the more interesting questions on the roster, with Neemias Queta and Mitchell Robinson both in the mix to open next season. Queta has the advantage of continuity after three years in the system, and his steady improvement has made him a real candidate rather than a placeholder, while Robinson brings the kind of defensive presence that can change a game when he is on the floor.
The choice still feels like it could come down to how much Boston values familiarity versus upside, especially with Luka Garza available as another option if the rotation gets thin. The Celtics are still expected to be competitive next season, so this is less about finding a stopgap and more about deciding which center best fits a team trying to keep its edge without taking unnecessary risks. [Read more 🡒]
Celtics Linked To Another Massive Post Jaylen Brown Swing
Bostons post-Jaylen Brown roster picture is already being scrutinized, and the latest chatter around the league centers on how aggressive the Celtics might want to get if they decide to keep swinging big. Any pursuit of a premium wing would have to be weighed against the kind of asset haul that has defined recent blockbuster trades, the sort of market where front offices have to decide whether the fit is worth the future cost.
There is at least some reason to understand why the speculation has traction, since the player in question still has three years and $88 million left on his deal, which gives any acquiring team a clean runway if it wants to chase him. Even so, the skepticism is obvious, because comparisons to the Desmond Bane and Mikal Bridges deals only underline how expensive this kind of move can get, and why Bostons next major step may be easier to imagine than to actually pull off. [Read more 🡒]
Why Everyone Might Be Wrong About These Celtics
The Celtics spent the offseason reshaping the roster in a way that made clear they were not standing still after a disappointing stretch. Boston moved on from Jaylen Brown and brought in Paul George, Mitchell Robinson and Mike Conley, a set of changes that addressed several obvious needs while also signaling a shift toward a different kind of balance around the core.
Payton Pritchard and Jayson Tatum are expected to carry more of the load, and there is room for other pieces to grow into larger jobs as well. The result is a team that is not being talked about like a title favorite, but one with enough new parts, development upside and veteran help to make the early read on this group feel a little too final. [Read more 🡒]