2023 California Classic Recap

Sacremento’s Golden 1 Center, home of the Sacremento Kings, played host to the 2023 California Classic. The Classic debuted in 2018, replacing the Orlando Pro on the NBA’s off-season Summer League calendar.

The event is held over three days, featuring several short exhibition games. These allow the competing NBA franchises to gauge rookie and sophomore team members in alternative rosters. Fans of the competing teams flocked to the Golden 1 for the tournament to check out tomorrow’s talent first-hand. It’s the perfect way to experience an authentic NBA atmosphere during the off-season.

The 2023 tournament was held from 3-5 July. The Charlotte Hornets, Golden State Warriors, L.A. Lakers, Miami Heat, and San Antonio Spurs joined the hosts in action. Six games of fast-paced, high-class basketball resulted in two wins each from the Kings and the Spurs. The Heat and Warriors ended 1-1 in the results column, while the Hornets and Lakers left empty-handed.

With the California Classic and other similar tournaments making up the Summer League every year, many fans are asking the question: “Can you bet on sports in California?” At the time of writing, bettors are unable to place any bets legally in-person or online through domestic sites in California. Golden State legislation could change in a year or two but, until then, any sports betting must be done through offshore online sportsbooks. As such, it’s not impossible to place a bet. Keeping an eye on results and form heading into the new NBA season makes sense.

With this in mind, let’s recap the 2023 California Classic results:

Miami Heat 107, Los Angeles Lakers 90

The Lakers started the game as -3.0 point favorites for the game, but things didn’t go as planned. Second-year player, Nikola Jovic and rookie Jamie Jaquez Jr. ruled the roost for the Heat, and the Lakers’ defense had no answers. Jalen Hood-Schifino, the #17 draft pick for the Lakers, took time to adjust but started showing glimpses of his class toward the game’s end.

San Antonio Spurs 98, Charlotte Hornets 77

The Hornets began as the favored team by -5.0. Again the underdogs defied the odds in a big way. Even without #1 NBA draft pick Victor Wanbayama for the tournament, the Spurs were too good. Granted, several Spurs players on the roster featured in last season’s NBA. Of these, Julian Champagnie stood out, combining with Dominick Barlow, for 54 points. Current #2 draft pick, Brandon Miller, had a poor game for the Hornets on his unofficial debut.

Sacramento Kings 100, Golden State Warriors 94

The Kings started as -5.5 favorites at home, winning a tight game. This was largely due to a top-rate performance from Keegan Murray, last year’s #4 draft pick. Murray shot 8-for-17 from the field and 10-for-11 from the foul line, ending with a match-high 29 points. Brandin Podziemski, the Warriors’ #19 2023 NBA draft pick, scored 12 points and also grabbed 6 rebounds. It wasn’t enough, though as the Kings won by six to end the evening’s play.

Golden State Warriors 98, Charlotte Hornets 83

The Hornets fell to a 15-point loss to the Warriors despite being -4.5 favorites on the night. For a second straight game, highly-rated Brandon Miller failed to feature. Ho only attempted four shots while scoring six points. Brazilian wing, Gui Santos proved the difference for the Warriors. In his second season for the franchise, he used footwork, timing, and strength to score 18 points on the night.

San Antonio Spurs 109, Los Angeles Lakers 99

The Spurs entered the penultimate game of the California Classic as -4.5 favorites and didn’t disappoint. This time it was guard, Malaki Branham, on his Summer League debut, that led with a game-high 32 points. Lakers guard, Jalen Hood-Schifino, enjoyed an improved second outing, scoring 20 points in defeat.

Sacramento Kings 95, Miami Heat 83

The -2.5 favored Kings finished the California Classic as they started, with a win. Their opponents may have been different but the star performer was the same. In 40 minutes of action, Keegan Murray amassed a game total of 41 points, justifying his inclusion in the 2023 NBA All-Rookie team. Although Nicola Jovic did his best for the Heat, his 22 points couldn’t take the shine off Murray’s performance.

Only three of the six favorites at the California Classic ended their games as winners. With results like these, there’s a good chance that bettors finding longer odds in the upcoming NBA season could reap a reward or two as the competition progresses.