The NBA Summer season League in Las Vegas has reached the semifinal stage, with 4 undefeated groups competing on Saturday for a spot in Sunday’s championship sport. This 12 months’s occasion has featured rising stars, explosive scoring and hard-working gamers battling for his or her NBA futures.
With basketball futures hanging within the steadiness for a lot of gamers, Saturday’s doubleheader on the Thomas & Mack Middle gives two compelling matchups.
Let’s check out every semifinal showdown:
Semifinal 1: Sacramento Kings (4-0) vs. Toronto Raptors (4-0)
Time: 4 p.m. EST | TV: ESPN
Unfold (by way of ESPN Guess): Raptors -2.5 | Complete: 185.5
Sacramento has been one of the crucial environment friendly groups in Las Vegas. The Kings lead all Summer season League squads in three-point taking pictures at 38.8% and are averaging 95.3 factors per sport. They’ve flown underneath the radar, however the numbers are exhausting to disregard. Nique Clifford has led the best way, averaging 18.5 factors, 6.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists whereas impacting each space of the courtroom. Clifford was the twenty fourth choose general within the 2025 NBA Draft.
On the opposite facet, Toronto has taken a extra bodily strategy. The Raptors rank simply twenty first in three-point proportion (29.5%) however have relied on strain protection, rebounding and transition play to remain good. No. 9 general choose Collin Murray-Boyles has been spectacular, posting 20 factors and 9 rebounds in his most up-to-date outing, an 81-69 win over Golden State. General, Toronto has thrived on effort and paint management.
What to look at: Will Sacramento’s exterior taking pictures and spacing create sufficient issues for Toronto’s protection? Or will the Raptors, led by Murray-Boyles, dominate the inside and pressure the Kings to play on their phrases?
Prediction: Kings advance
Semifinal 2: Charlotte Hornets (4-0) vs. Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder (4-0)
Time: 6 p.m. EST | TV: ESPN
Unfold (by way of ESPN Guess): Thunder -1.5 | Complete: 186.5
Charlotte enters because the second-highest-scoring staff within the Summer season League, averaging 100.0 factors per sport whereas taking pictures 36.4% from 3-point vary. The Hornets cruised on Thursday with a 106-81 win over the Spurs, showcasing ball motion and deep taking pictures with 15 made threes on 41.7% taking pictures from deep. KJ Simpson and No. 4 general choose Kon Knueppel every scored 19 factors within the blowout victory. Damion Baugh went 7-for-10 from the ground and added 18 factors off the bench.
Oklahoma Metropolis has additionally been dominant in Summer season League play. The Thunder have matched Sacramento’s 95.3 factors per sport, although they haven’t shot as effectively from deep, changing simply 32.4% of their three-point makes an attempt. Nonetheless, they’ve received each sport by no less than 9 factors. The Thunder’s championship tradition has translated to their younger roster. Second-round choose Brooks Barnhizer led the staff with 19 factors and 9 rebounds of their newest win, a 95-81 victory over a proficient Pelicans staff.
What to look at: Charlotte needs to push the tempo and unfold the ground, whereas Oklahoma Metropolis will look to gradual the tempo and win the bodily battles. The staff that controls the sport’s rhythm will probably earn a spot within the last.
Prediction: Hornets advance
The winners of those semifinal video games will play for the championship on Sunday at 10 p.m. EST.
