Darius Acuff Jr. and Marquel Sutton ignited the offense as Sacramento fended off a late Milwaukee surge to secure a flawless sweep of the California Classic.
After a strong 2-0 start to the California Classic, the Sacramento Kings remained undefeated in the NBA Summer League with a 95-89 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.
No. 7 overall pick Darius Acuff Jr. scored 22 points on 7-19 shooting, looking much more comfortable and composed.
After struggling from the field to open his first NBA appearance, Acuff had a much stronger start against Milwaukee, knocking down a mid-range jumper and two early long balls.
Acuff was very efficient from 3-point range (4-9) and made multiple on-target skip passes and pocket passes out of the pick-and-roll.
While the stat sheet reads only three assists for the reigning SEC Player of the Year, Acuff delivered countless hockey assists, putting his teammates in fortuitous positions.
The Kings jumped out to a 15-4 lead in the first quarter, maintaining a slim advantage throughout the first half.
While Acuff was off the floor, former LSU forward Marquel Sutton took on the offensive load, leading all scorers with 24 points and knocking down four 3-pointers.
Sutton, who was the Summit League Player of the Year for Omaha in 2024, did a great job moving off the ball and finding areas on the perimeter to flash open too.
He also added six rebounds and made all five of his free throws, cashing in on additional opportunities.
Sutton's 3-point shooting is a very promising sign for the 6-foot-9 wing, as he eclipsed 30-percent from deep just one time during his collegiate career.
Although scoring slowed down for the Kings in the third quarter, they managed to extend the lead to 15 early in the fourth, as Isaiah Stevens continued his hot shooting from deep.
Stevens and Sutton knocked down back-to-back triples to open the final period, before Milwaukee ignited a 21-5 run.
Bucks forward Zack Austin scored 12 of his 17 points during the run, knocking down multiple big shots off the bench.
But, it was Acuff who weathered the storm, immediately regaining the lead for Sacramento with a left-wing 3-pointer.
Second-year big man Dylan Cardwell extended the late lead to four with a dunk, before Acuff daggered the Bucks with a flashy step-back three, leading Sacramento to a 95-89 victory.
Cardwell, as is his calling card, filled up the stat sheet, recording 12 points, 12 rebounds, four steals, and four blocks.
Entering this season, an emphasis has been put on Cardwell being more aggressive and looking for his shot on the inside. This was apparent by the former Auburn Tiger's multiple put back slams and mid-range floaters.
Following the game, Cardwell spoke on the team's mindset and wanting to put on a show on their home floor.
"We're not going to let teams come in here and punk us anymore," Cardwell said.
With three straight wins under their belt, the Kings will travel to Las Vegas to participate in the rest of their summer league matchups, facing off against Keaton Wagler and the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday, July 9, at 11:00 p.m.
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