Gameday: Raptors vs Kings, July 19

Hello, 2025 Las Vegas Summer League Toronto Raptors, welcome to the semifinals.

It’s the first time Toronto finds itself in the Las Vegas playoffs, and of course, the first time the franchise has been in arm’s reach of the championship.

Canada’s team qualified for the showdown while clinching the top seed, thanks to a perfect 4-0 record and +63 point differential. Following Toronto were three other 4-0 squads: the Oklahoma City Thunder (+59), the Charlotte Hornets (+51), and the Raptors’ semifinal opponent, the Sacramento Kings (+46).

Those four teams make up the 2025 Las Vegas Summer League playoffs and will try to make the championship game on July 20.

The playoff bracket is as follows:

Raptors (No.1 seed) vs. Kings (No.4 seed) – 4:00 pm ET July 19

Thunder (No.2 seed) vs Hornets (No.3 seed) – 6:00 pm ET July 19

Championship – 10:00 pm ET July 20

Toronto got here after defeating the Chicago Bulls 116-72, taking down the Orlando Magic 89-86, beating the Denver Nuggets 101-97, all before capping it off with a victory over the Golden State Warriors 81-69.

Across those four games, the Raptors established themselves defensively, forcing 114 turnovers and averaging 14.8 steals per game, the best throughout Summer League. Toronto is also attempting the second-most free throws per game (30.8), but hasn’t been converting efficiently, sitting only 19th in free throw percentage at 71.5 per cent.

While Toronto has gotten contributions from its whole 10-man rotation from players like Jamal Shead, Jonathan Mogbo, Jamison Battle, Alijah Martin, and Ulrich Chomche, three players have stood out in particular: AJ Lawson, Ja’Kobe Walter, and Collin Murray-Boyles.

The latter was the main source of offence for the Raptors’ last contest as the rookie put together his best showing of the summer. Murray-Boyles put up a game-high 20 points to go along with nine rebounds, four steals, and two assists, making a major impact on both ends of the floor to send Toronto to the semis.

The second-year sharpshooter in Walter has also been effective this summer, averaging 15.3 points (second on the Raptors), 2.5 steals (first on the Raptors), and 3.3 rebounds. While the 20-year-old hasn’t been the most efficient, he’s been uber disruptive defensively both on and off the ball.

As for Lawson, not many players have been better overall than the Brampton, Ontario native. The 25-year-old is averaging 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.8 steals per game while shooting 50.0 per cent from the field and 45.5 per cent from the 3-point line.

Lawson’s athleticism and transition game have been on full display, while the point of attack defence has also been impressive.

For the Kings, they have a summer three-headed monster themselves, including last year’s 13th overall pick Devin Carter and rookies Maxime Raynaud and Nique Clifford.

The latter has been the most effective as he has been poised and in control. The former Colorado State Ram is averaging a team-leading 18.5 points, a team-leading 6.5 rebounds, and is second on the squad in assists (5.0) and steals (1.5), all while shooting an absurd 58.3 per cent from the field and 52.9 per cent from distance.

Simply put, he’s been great in all facets.

2024 first-round pick Carter and 2025 second-round pick Raynaud have also been stellar, combining for 30.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 2.7 steals, and 1.8 blocks.

Those three led Sacramento to the semifinals after four straight victories against the Orlando Magic (84-81), the Chicago Bulls (109-92), the Phoenix Suns (94-76), and the Cleveland Cavaliers (94-86).

Overall, the Kings don’t take a lot of shots, averaging only 29.0 per game from the 3-point line (eighth fewest), and 66.5 from the field overall (second fewest).

But they have connected at a very high rate.

Sacramento sits first through Summer League in both field goal percentage (50.4) and 3-point percentage, hitting at a 38.8 per cent clip. The team also leads in assists per game, with a cool 23.3.

The team is generating such good-looking shots, and it will be interesting to see if Toronto’s high-pressure defence can disrupt that.

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