The Las Vegas Summer League Championship Game Tuesday (9 p.m. ET on the ESPN/ESPN app) will feature the Boston Celtics & Sacramento Kings - both undefeated in the finals.
Boston's run has been fueled by a pair of second-year players in Peyton Pritchard & Aaron Nesmith, a backcourt duo who shone with advanced playmaking & timely shot-making. For Sacramento, rookie Davian Mitchell's exceptional defensive performance has impressed spectators in Las Vegas throughout the week, while Jahmi's Ramsey has shown a consistent scoring hand in the title game.
Ahead of the championship slump, here's how these Summer League stars got their teams to where they are, plus the kind of impact they could have when the regular season resumes.
Peyton Pritchard, Aaron Nesmith Leading the Way for the Celtics
Boston made their way into the final game with four very impressive victories. After a tough decision on the Atlanta Hawks in the opener, Boston won their next three games by at least 20 points, while scoring at least 100 in each.
Boston's top player of the Summer League, Peyton Pritchard, is doubtful of a play in Tuesday night's championship, as he returns to Oregon to play in the Portland Pro-Am - where he dropped 92 & 60 points in back-to-back games . In three games in Las Vegas, Pritchard averaged 20.3 points with .514/.577/.889 shooting splits, while averaging nearly nine assists with only four total turnovers.
Aaron Nesmith had one of the top performances of the summer with his 33-point outing against the Denver Nuggets on August 10, when he hit 7 of 9 3-pointers. While Nesmith will be expected to take the load off again, the Celtics could also see a summer league vet in Carson Edwards. Edwards, now in his third year with the Celtics, averaged 19.4 points while making a name for himself in the summer of 2019. Edwards' scoring has been down this year (13.5 points), but the 5-foot-11 guard averages 5.8 rebounds & 4.8 assists.
With Pritchard out of the previous competition, Edwards seemed comfortable running the Celtics' offense. If Pritchard - who has already returned to Las Vegas - decides to play, Boston should be the favorite to take the title.
Nesmith has a chance to break Boston's core rotation
After playing solid rotational minutes for the Celtics as a rookie, with a remarkably strong finish in the final two months of this past season, Aaron Nesmith brought his momentum to an excellent summer league, with 25 minutes per game. I had an efficient 18.8 marks.
Despite missing 11 months of action due to a leg injury & season delay in January 2020, Nesmith showed up in Las Vegas as a rookie in a major way, notably with a 33-point outing in a blistering victory. over nuggets. He also showed defensive versatility in the Celtics' switch-heavy system, using his length to slow down guards & using his strong frame to hold himself up & clear the glass against frontcourt players.
Having been used mostly as a floor spacer last season, Nesmith has seen some significant developmental assets in Las Vegas, handling the ball in transition or pick-and-roll, attacking closeouts, coming off screens & dribbles. To be used from handoff. His combination of size, length & versatile shot-making gives him a place to grow alongside Jason Tatum & Jaylen Brown. That he was shooting dribble effectively with range & made good decisions as a passerby and given his trajectory at age 21, a slasher to the front office should be encouraging.
Everyone who has worked with Nesmith is concerned about his character and work ethic, so it won't be surprising to see the game slowing down for Wing. With Evan Fournier & Kemba Walker leaving for the New York Knicks, Nesmith can be said to be stepping into a bigger role as a sophomore.
The Kings' shutdown defense has put them on the brink
Sacramento had to wait to find out whether it was going to advance to the championship game, thanks to a difference in the NBA's winning rules separating undefeated teams.
The Minnesota Timberwolves & New Orleans Pelicans, however, did not win their final games by enough points, sending the Kings to play for the Summer League crown.
The Kings won every game by double digits with an 86-70 decision over the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday. Sacramento has also placed each team on less than 75 points.
Sacramento would be without forward Chimezi Metu - averaging 10 points & a team-leading 6.8 rebound - who would serve a one-game suspension for throwing a punch in their win over the Mavericks.
Still, most eyes will be on first-round draft pick Davian Mitchell, who said the team was not even thinking about a possible championship berth when the Summer League resumes.
"We just wanted to win every game. That was our goal," Mitchell told ESPN. "We were blessed to play in the championship. It came from the way we played. Our identity, being that tough team, that defensive team that works hard throughout the game. That's where it came from."
Mitchell, who helped Baylor lead to the national championship in the spring, expects his team's defense & his individual game to last until Tuesday evening.
"I'm really competitive in everything," Mitchell said. "It just comes with not letting my man score on me & making it harder for the best player. I want to show that I can defend anyone from 1 to 4, 1 to 5."
How can Davian fit in next to Michelle D'Aaron Fox and Tyrese Halliburton?
Davian Mitchell's role in the Summer League is likely to be different in the regular season, as he currently leads the Kings in minutes, points & assists through six games in Las Vegas & Sacramento. Still, he showed elements that should translate to playing with cornerstone Tyrese Halliburton and D'Aron Fox.
Mitchell took on the challenge of defending the opposing team's best perimeter scorer, putting the likes of James Buknight, Corey Kispert and Ziara Williams in trouble whenever he was on the court, showcasing his positional versatility. Mitchell's ability to mirror opponents with his sharp legs and reach the top of the screen has so far suppressed the opponent's offense.
Mitchell also set the tone for teammates with his ball speed in the half court, empowering them by moving the ball forward in the transition & operating the ball with no problem. Despite almost all of the effort coming off the dribble, he had no trouble translating his jumper into a long NBA 3-point line, which would certainly help.
Leading a team composed mostly of second-round picks & unfinished players, Mitchell contributed to the success every time he took the court, something he proved to be a champ at every level from AAU to high school to college. Did. This is perhaps the most remarkable thing for the Sacramento team, which hasn't made the playoffs in 15 years & is probably the reason why the Kings decided to pick him at No. 9 despite having zero contact with him in the pre-draft process.