What: Charlotte Hornets (5-0) vs Sacramento Kings (5-0)

When: 10:00pm Eastern

Where: Thomas & Mack Center; Las Vegas, NV

How to watch: ESPN

The Charlotte Hornets dismantled the Oklahoma City Thunder in the summer league semfinals. The Thunder probably weren’t as strong as their 4-0 record would suggest given the plushy soft schedule they faced in the round robin, but it was still a commanding win for Charlotte. Jaylen Sims dominated the game while Kon Knueppel, PJ Hall, MJ Walker, and Damion Baugh provided extra firepower.

There were points during the game where it didn’t feel like the Hornets were doing much, then you’d look at the score and see their lead had ballooned by another five or ten points. They completely clamped up the Thunder’s offense and forced them into a lot of difficult shots from awkward spots on the floor. The game was never in doubt in the second half, and now the Hornets find themselves in a championship game.

The Sacramento Kings are the opponent. They’ve been led by returning guard Devin Carter and incoming first round pick Nique Clifford. Both of them were quiet in the semifinal, but they were picked up by 36 points from Isaac Jones, who spent last season on a two-way deal with Sacramento.

The real mystery of this game is going to be who is actually playing. The Hornets held out Kon Knueppel the last time they had a back to back, so he might get the same treatment here. Liam McNeeley, Tidjane Salaün, and Sion James have been held out with minor injuries. KJ Simpson might be counted on during the regular season and has played pretty well throughout the tournament. There’s a decent chance none of those guys play. The Kings are in a similar position with Carter and Clifford.

The Hornets do have the benefit of strong play from the supporting cast. The players that aren’t currently on the roster have more than held their own. PJ Hall has become more aggressive as the summer league has gone on. MJ Walker can fill it up if he gets hot. Jaylen Sims and Damion Baugh look like the returning NBA players that they kind of are. No one else cares about this game, but this is a chance for the Hornets to accomplish something for the first time in what feels like forever.