The Sacramento Kings extended their winning streak to three games with a 113-103 victory over the Houston Rockets on Saturday night, overcoming the early loss of Domantas Sabonis to a hamstring injury.
DeMar DeRozan led the way with 21 points, while Zach LaVine contributed 20 as Sacramento (31-28) pulled away in the fourth quarter. The Kings used a decisive 13-3 run to take control, with LaVine and Keon Ellis knocking down 3-pointers and DeRozan scoring the final five points of the surge.
Alperen Sengun delivered a strong performance for Houston (37-23), finishing with 30 points and 10 rebounds. Jalen Green added 24, but the Rockets’ two-game winning streak came to an end.
Sabonis, who entered the game averaging 19.9 points and 14.4 rebounds, exited just over a minute into the contest after pulling up with a left hamstring injury. His absence forced Sacramento to adjust, but the Kings responded with a balanced offensive attack.
Six Sacramento players scored at least 12 points, with Jonas Valanciunas stepping up in the frontcourt. The veteran center tallied 15 points, 14 rebounds, and three blocks in 30 minutes, helping to fill the void left by Sabonis.
Malik Monk provided 16 points and four assists, while Ellis added 12 points off the bench. Keegan Murray chipped in 13 points and five rebounds as Sacramento outscored Houston 58-44 in the paint.
Fred VanVleet returned to the Rockets’ lineup after missing 11 games with an ankle injury but struggled to find his rhythm. The veteran guard shot 1-for-8 from the field and finished with three points in 35 minutes.
Despite Sengun’s dominance inside, Houston was unable to keep pace down the stretch. LaVine’s 3-pointer late in the third quarter ignited the Kings’ pivotal run, and Sacramento maintained a double-digit lead for most of the fourth.
The Kings shot 50.6% from the field, while Houston finished at 43%. The Rockets made more 3-pointers (13) than Sacramento (9), but the Kings’ efficiency inside and strong rebounding gave them the edge.
