Kings Seal Close Win Over Hornets, Snap 3-Game Losing Skid

By admin — In News — July 18, 2026

   ​Sacramento Kings guard Emanuel Sharp floated a pass to a wide-open Marquel Sutton, who nailed the game-sealing left-handed floater over Charlotte Hornets center Hannes Steinbach.The Kings snapped a three-game losing streak over the Hornets, 92-90, at the Thomas and Mack Center. It was a consolation game, as both teams entered Friday’s matchup 1-3.First-round pick Darius Acuff Jr. and second-year players Nique Clifford, Dylan Cardwell and Maxime Raynaud rested for the final Summer League game. Those four sitting out were likely a cautious move by Sacramento to prevent injury in a low-stakes game.Sacramento’s offense was much more efficient on Friday than during its previous losses. The team opened the first quarter scoring 12 points on jumpers. Guards Adam Flager and Sharp drove downhill, getting two feet into the paint and rose over defenders to nail mid-range shots. The Kings also extended their range to the three-point line, starting with a quick-fire three from their 45th overall pick.Two-way forward Jonathan Mogbo joined the party, nailing a corner three. Charlotte was forced to close out to open shooters and overplay off-ball screen actions, which opened the paint.The players were moving freely on the court, reading and reacting to what the defense allowed. It led to a 31-point quarter, the highest-scoring quarter for Sacramento in any quarter throughout the Summer League.The Kings built a 12-point lead heading into the second, and Charlotte responded with a 31-point quarter of its own. Third-year forward Tidjane Salaun led the comeback with his downhill scoring.Salaun converted an and-1 layup over Mogbo’s contest, cutting Sacramento’s lead to six points (40-34) with less than five minutes remaining in the half. Rookie guard Christian Anderson found his 6-foot-10 forward running the floor, hit the outlet pass and finished with a two-handed slam.The Hornets entered the half down by five (55-50) after pushing the pace in transition. Both teams traded buckets once the second half began. For the Kings, Sharp and Alex Karaban showcased their floor spacing abilities. For the Hornets, Steinbach anchored their attack down low with his finishing. Charlotte briefly took a four-point lead over Sacramento with under five minutes left in the game. Sutton, the eventual game hero, brought the deficit to one with a corner three.The former LSU Tiger was in the right places at the right times when his team needed a bucket. He nailed a right-handed floater after Sharp caused a turnover in the backcourt, pushing the lead to three points.As the shot clock wound down, Karaban found a relocating Flagler open for three. His shot gave the Kings a two-possession lead for the next minute.Sutton put the finishing touches on the game with his left-handed floater with under 30 seconds left, securing the win in an intense fourth quarter. The Summer League standout helped Sacramento finish the Las Vegas Summer League with a 2-3 record and could make a case for a two-way co  

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