DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine combined for 41 points as the visiting Sacramento Kings rode a balanced offensive attack to a 113-103 victory over the Houston Rockets on Saturday.
Six Kings players scored in double figures as the team completed a sweep of the three-game season series with Houston. The Kings overcame the loss of center Domantas Sabonis to a left hamstring injury just over a minute into the game by shooting 50.6 percent from the field.
Jonas Valanciunas replaced Sabonis and produced 15 points, 14 rebounds and four steals. Malik Monk added 16 points and Keegan Murray posted 13. Keon Ellis chipped in 12 off the bench.
DeRozan (21 points, six assists) and LaVine (20 points, six rebounds) worked in tandem to confound the Houston defense. The Rockets trailed by 16 points midway through the first quarter and rallied to secure the lead in the second, only for DeRozan or LaVine to fashion responses to keep Houston at bay.
Alperen Sengun collected 30 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for the Rockets, while Jalen Green added 24 points. Guard Fred VanVleet returned after missing 11 games due to an ankle injury, and he tallied three points on 1-for-8 shooting in 35 minutes. The Rockets committed 16 turnovers.
The Kings turned a 15-0 run into a 19-3 lead while the Rockets opened the game shooting 1 for 12. Houston fashioned a 14-3 rally to work back into contention, with Jabari Smith Jr. capping the quarter with a transition dunk that cut the Sacramento lead to 25-21 entering the second.
LaVine, Trey Lyles and Jake LaRavia opened the second period with 3-pointers that helped the Kings extend to a 40-31 lead.
The Rockets rallied behind Dillon Brooks, who combined a 3-pointer with two three-point plays that pulled Houston even at 51-51. When Brooks followed with a 3-pointer at the 3:11 mark, the Rockets led 54-51. Brooks finished with 12 points.
Sacramento reclaimed a 63-59 halftime lead and, after Houston closed to within 84-82 on a three-point play by Sengun, the Kings used a 13-3 run bridging the final two periods to seize control.
The Rockets missed their final five shots of the third while committing three turnovers, and when Sacramento opened the fourth with a 3-pointer by Ellis and a driving layup by DeRozan, the lead reached 96-85.
–Field Level Media
