The Sacramento Kings didn’t have rookie center Maxime Raynaud, but they still had plenty of firepower in their Las Vegas Summer League game against the Phoenix Suns.
Rookie first-round draft pick Nique Clifford and 2024 lottery selection Devin Carter combined for 36 points to help the Kings remain undefeated in summer league with a 94-76 victory over the Suns at UNLV’s Cox Pavilion.
The Kings joined the San Antonio Spurs, Atlanta Hawks and Charlotte Hornets as the only teams with 3-0 records in Las Vegas. A win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday at Thomas & Mack Center could send Sacramento to the Summer League semifinals with a chance to advance to the championship game.
Clifford and Carter shined in front of a Kings contingent that included general manager Scott Perry, vice president of basketball engagement Alvin Gentry, head coach Doug Christie and assistant coaches Mike Woodson and Bobby Jackson.
Clifford, the 24th overall pick in June’s draft, had 19 points on 7-of-8 shooting with three rebounds, three assists and three steals. Carter, the No. 13 pick in the 2024 draft, had 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting with three assists and three steals.
“We’re just sharing the ball,” Carter told ESPN during an in-game interview. “Everybody’s playing together. We came out with a mindset to attack first, and I feel like we did a great job with that.”
Isaiah Crawford got his first Summer League start with Raynaud out due to right wrist soreness. Crawford couldn’t replicate Raynaud’s offensive output, but he had three steals and one blocked shot.
The Kings led 18-17 at the end of the first quarter despite going 6 of 18 from the field and 1 of 8 from 3-point range. Clifford scored nine points on 3-of-4 shooting in the opening period, but the rest of the team went 3 of 14.
Sacramento started hitting shots in the second quarter. Clifford, Carter, Mason Jones and Taevion Kinsey combined to make seven 3-pointers as the Kings opened up a 17-point lead.
The Kings knocked down 10 of 15 from the field and 7 of 9 from long distance in the second period. Carter’s 3-pointer at the buzzer put Sacramento up 45-28 at the halftime break.
The Kings went up 53-28 on another 3-pointer by Carter early in the second half. They went up by as many as 33 points in the third quarter and led 76-43 going into the fourth.