NBA Summer League 2022 Championship: Early Preview for Knicks vs. Trail Blazers

The battle for the 2022 Las Vegas Summer League ring is set.

The New York Knicks and Portland Trail Blazers will play in the championship game Sunday. Both teams went 3-1 in pool play, with point-differential tiebreakers vaulting them past five other teams with the same record.

The Blazers won the title in 2018, while the Knicks have never won it all in Las Vegas. This year's game features an added incentive, as the winners will receive championship rings for the first time.

The game is set to start at 3 p.m. ET at the Thomas & Mack Center. You can watch the game live on ESPN or streaming on ESPN.com. Keep reading to see the standout players for each team this summer.

The Knicks have been doing plenty of scoring in Las Vegas. They're tied for third with 95.3 points per game and lead all teams with a plus-11.8 point differential.

The primary source of scoring is Quentin Grimes, a candidate for summer league MVP. He's averaging 23.5 points per game on 43.7 percent shooting from the field. The No. 25 overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft out of Houston, Grimes is showing that he might be in line for a bigger role with New York. In 46 games as a rookie, Grimes averaged 6.0 points in 17.1 minutes per contest.

Grimes has been getting solid help on offense from point guard Miles McBride, a second-round pick out of West Virginia in last year's draft. McBride is averaging 16.8 points and 5.5 assists per game in the desert. He's been fairly efficient, too, shooting 52.2 percent from the floor.

Another player turning heads is Feron Hunt, an undrafted 23-year-old who played college ball at SMU. Hunt's height, length and athleticism make him an intriguing prospect for New York.

Hunt, who is on a two-way contract, has also made a mark on the defensive end, notching seven steals in the Knicks' opening win over the Golden State Warriors. He'll be fighting for a roster spot after spending most of his time with the Westchester Knicks of the G League last season.

While the Knicks have been one of the better scoring teams in Vegas, nobody has been better than the Trail Blazers on the defensive end. Portland has allowed a paltry 75.8 points per game with a plus-8.2 point differential. The defense was in fine working order against the Knicks on Monday, with the Blazers cruising to an 88-71 victory.

On offense, Keon Johnson has led the way for Portland. The 20-year-old guard is averaging 17.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. The organization will be happy to see he's shooting the ball at a 48 percent clip. In 37 games with the Los Angeles Clippers and Blazers last season, Johnson shot just 35.3 percent from the field and 34.0 percent from three-point range.

Another bright spot is Jabari Walker, the 57th overall pick in the 2022 draft out of Colorado. Walker's averaging 12.0 points on 66.7 percent shooting. He's also had an impact in the paint, pulling down 8.5 rebounds per game. Walker is already showing signs he can help the team after he signed a rookie contract Wednesday.

Trendon Watford, an undrafted forward out of LSU now in his second year with the organization, is also having a fine summer. He's averaging 12.3 points and 8.0 rebounds per game for Portland.

One player who won't be available for the championship game is Shaedon Sharpe, the No. 7 overall pick in this year's draft. He's recovering from a small tear in his left shoulder suffered during Portland's summer league opener against the Detroit Pistons.