The Sacramento Kings triumphed over the Houston Rockets 77-68 in NBA's Las Vegas Summer League tournament finals Monday night, led by 29 points from Ray McCallum.
Sacramento Kings win Las Vegas Summer League championship
Roy McCallum led the Sacramento Kings to the 2014 Summer League championship with a 29-point performance
Jack Arent/NBA
It was a back-and-forth battle between Houston and Sacramento, with the Kings having the best individual scoring performance against a more even offensive effort from the Rockets. But Sacramento’s late push after a scoring drought held Houston in check and got them the victory with a 19-3 ending run.
But if the Summer League title was decided by the most exciting play (and shouldn’t it be?!), Houston probably would have won.
Ray McCallum cut his way to the basket and hit some threes to help Sacramento to an early lead, which didn’t last. McCallum’s quickness and finishing ability were tough for Houston to defend, in spite of the relatively weak scoring complements around him.
Meanwhile, Houston hung with the Kings for much of the game before going on a strong run in the early stages of the fourth quarter, led by their Motiejunas-Nick Johnson-Isaiah Canaan trio. As Sacramento’s offense struggled to regain its rhythm, Houston built a considerable lead.
But Sacramento rallied, with buckets by Nik Stauskas, McCallum and McLemore leading the way to a big 9-0 run to put them back up with a minute to go. McCallum's near-half-court shot at the shot-clock buzzer was a difference-maker, forcing the Rockets to take risks as they played from behind.
Though Motiejunas’ late layup helped make up a little ground, they couldn’t help but foul McCallum, whose free throws gave the Kings a 6-point lead with 34 seconds left.
Quincy Acy received MVP chants as he helped Sacramento get their first championship of the Vivek Ranadive era. And surely not the last.
THE CHAMPS ARE HERE pic.twitter.com/MybyIWMT1S
— Robby Kalland (@RKalland) July 22, 2014 Oh, wait.
"One day the Sacramento Kings are going to win a championship and we'll remember this as the first step." Vivek Ranadive on LVSL title
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) July 22, 2014 LET THE CONFETTI RAIN UPON THEM.
Water champagne bath!
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