Overview
- Sacramento rallied from an 18-point deficit to beat the Brooklyn Nets 79-76 at the California Classic, capped by Nique Clifford’s game-winning 3 with 5.0 seconds left on July 4.
- No. 7 pick Darius Acuff Jr. led the Kings with 25 points and four assists and created the final possession that produced the game-winner, but his on-ball defense and effort remain under scrutiny after uneven stretches.
- Turnovers swung the game as the Nets committed 20 giveaways compared with the Kings’ nine, allowing Sacramento to mount a 27-9 run to tie the game and a 19-6 run to close it.
- Second-round pick Emanuel Sharp delivered an energetic two-way performance that included steals and a block, and coach Chris Darnell credited him with setting the defensive tone in the opener.
- Alex Karaban will miss the California Classic after suffering an ankle sprain on July 2, and the front office will continue to use summer-league games to evaluate the 2026 rookies’ fit with higher-cost veterans and to refine roster plans.