Viktor Lahkin’s presence in the paint and Emanuel Sharp’s poise at the line gave Sacramento exactly what it needed Sunday night, as the Kings held off Golden State 91-85 in California Classic Summer League action.
Sacramento is now 2-0 in the event, and this one came with a much different feel than a simple box-score win. The Kings had to dig out of a double-digit hole, then survive a frantic finish in which Golden State kept trying to claw back into striking distance.
Sharp and Isaiah Stevens led the way with 18 points apiece. Marquel Sutton added 16 off the bench, and Lahkin finished with 12 points while anchoring a defense that produced seven steals and eight blocks.
The game didn’t include the lottery picks for either side, with Darius Acuff Jr. and Yaxel Lendeborg both out of the mix. Golden State’s two summer league squads, Gold and Blue, also meant Lendeborg suited up for the Gold team against the San Antonio Spurs instead.
Sacramento actually opened better than it did in its previous game, but Golden State soon found its rhythm. After the teams traded baskets for the first four minutes and tied at 6-6, the Warriors ripped off eight straight points. Cameron Tyson fueled the burst with consecutive 3-pointers, and Jackson Moni finished it with a layup.
Nick Boyd set up all three baskets in that stretch, and Golden State pushed the lead to nine at 35-26 before Stevens helped spark a Sacramento response. The Kings kept hanging around, and the deficit was 10 at halftime, 52-42.
That’s where the game flipped. Sacramento came out sharper in the second half, tightened up defensively and outscored Golden State 49-33 after the break. It was another strong comeback effort, this time without its lottery pick carrying the load.
Sharp and Lahkin were the engines of the third-quarter push. The Kings’ 45th overall pick knocked down 3 of 4 from deep in the period and also finished a runner in the lane. Lahkin added six points and a block in the quarter, then kept showing up in the biggest moments late.
Golden State kept trying to attack Lahkin in the closing minutes, but Sacramento’s interior defense held firm. The Warriors eventually had to lean on the free-throw game to stay alive.
Moni got to the line with a chance to trim the Kings’ lead to one possession. He made the first free throw, intentionally missed the second, and the ball came back to him.
Sacramento scrambled, took away an easy 3-point look, and RJ Nembhard Jr. ran into Lahkin, resulting in a turnover. Sharp then grabbed the ball and closed it out at the stripe.
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