Schröder Still Has Ice In His Veins, Kings Beat Houston In OT

The Sacramento Kings took down the Houston Rockets in an overtime battle, with Dennis Schröder hitting the clutch game winner.

Dec 21, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Dennis Schroder (17) scores a basket in overtime against the Houston Rockets at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

After getting themselves into a massive hole against the Portland Trail Blazers the night before, the Kings were able to get off to a better start against the Houston Rockets. The Rockets eventually battled back after falling behind 14-4 early and started to gain some momentum. The Kings were kept at arm’s length through the third quarter until things started to turn their way.

The Kings were able to get back in the game off Keegan Murray’s shooting and pushed it to overtime on a Russell Westbrook three-pointer. In OT, the Kings looked like the game was going to slip away from them again, but a game-winner from Dennis Schroder gave the Kings the victory. Let’s dig into the good, the bad, and the ugly from one of the more exciting Kings’ games in recent history. 

The Good

There was a lot of good in this game, and that in and of itself is a breath of fresh air. Starting with Keegan Murray, who looked like the guy the Kings were happy to pay $28 million annually. Keegan caught fire in the fourth and went on a 7-0 run on his own when the Kings needed him most. After a rough start shooting the ball, it was great to see Keegan knock down three out of four of his shots from deep and come out with 26 points. 

Schroder and DeMar DeRozan were also massive down the stretch and really throughout the game. The pair combined for 51 points and 19 assists in the game with just two turnovers while making play after play to get the Kings the win. Having both guys shoot the ball well while getting everyone else involved was a huge boost to the Kings, and they needed it against a good Houston team. 

I wasn’t exactly sure whether to give the Kings credit for this or just admit that it was probably because Steven Adams didn’t play, but Sacramento was great on the glass. The Kings outrebounded the Rockets and were able to bring down 19 offensive rebounds. Max Raynaud led with 14 boards, Westbrook added 13, Schroder had 7, and Nique Clifford had 6. The team effort on the boards was vital to getting the win and something I would like to see become a part of the Kings’ identity. 

The Bad

Dec 21, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) controls the ball against Sacramento Kings guard Russell Westbrook (18) during the fourth quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

I kind of hate to have him slot under bad, but Russell Westbrook fell in this category after a bad foul on Jabari Smith Jr. in overtime (albeit on a questionable call). Westbrook made some huge plays, including tying the game with 2.2 seconds left in regulation, but he took 24 shots and made just eight of them, including firing off 12 threes. Tonight, he wasn’t all bad, but his lack of efficiency and some bad moments got him in this category. 

Free throws might’ve ended up in the ugly section, but I have to give the Kings credit for getting 32 shots at the line. Sacramento hasn’t been great at getting to the line this season, and while they accomplished that tonight, they missed 11 free throws in a very close game that could’ve ended differently. The bright spots were Murray, DeRozan, and Schroder, who went a combined 20 of 22 at the line. 

The Ugly

There really wasn’t much ugly in this one as the Kings competed all game long like they have been for the last few games. The one issue that continues to fall in the ugly category is the Kings’ positional issues. After two straight DNP-CDs, Malik Monk played just five minutes in this game, and Keon Ellis was benched after the first half. It’s great to see some of the Kings’ vets have big games, but Ellis and Monk are too good to just whither away on the bench. 

This is all with Zach LaVine injured and Devin Carter in Stockton as well. The Kings have resorted to basically choosing a guard to bench each game, and Monk seems to be on the outs right now. Luckily, this hasn’t hurt Clifford's minutes, and that’s partly because he’s one of the few guards who can defend forwards. Regardless, voting someone off the island each game doesn’t feel like a sustainable strategy for the season. 

The Kings look like they’ve turned a corner with their effort over the last few games, and it finally paid off with a win. The vets and the rookies are all playing hard on both ends, and somehow, it’s mostly worked harmoniously. Being able to get the win while playing all the rookies over 20 minutes is huge for their development, and most of all, it’s shown that Doug Christie can trust Clifford, Cardwell, and Raynaud in close games. The Kings have another tough matchup against the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday and will have to play just as hard to keep pace.