Rockets Fall to Kings in Fourth Quarter Dog Fight

The Houston Rockets lost 132-127 to the Sacramento Kings. Jalen Green scored 28 points on 50% shooting.

Green lead the way for the Rockets in the first quarter, shooting 3-for-6 from the field and 1-for-2 from three. The period started off very scrappy as Houston and Sacramento were trading buckets for the first half of the quarter. Sacramento was able to pull away due to Keon Ellis subbing in for De'Aaron Fox and immediately making back-to-back threes to give the team a six-point lead. The Rockets came back on three made free throws from Green, a jump shot from Cam Whitmore and a layup courtesy of Amen Thompson to close the first 12 minutes.

Sacramento secured a seven-point lead on a 10-0 run midway through the second quarter, causing Ime Udoka to call a timeout for Houston. Domantas Sabonis had 12 points in the period, leading Sacramento to its 61-52 lead at halftime. The Rockets' shooting was not great in the first half, as they shot 46.7% from the field and only 35.7% from three compared to the Kings' 54.2% from the field and 42.1% from three.

Houston started the second half on an early 7-0 run, leading to a timeout from Sacramento. The Kings went on a run of their own after the Rockets. Sabonis continued to be unstoppable as they played through him. His offensive rebounding and playmaking boosted their scoring run. After the Kings gained a 16-point lead, Tari Eason helped the Rockets make a comeback to end the quarter down 85-90. He had nine points at the end of the quarter, but his hustle remained the same as it was before he was out due to knee soreness. He was the only player who shot well for the team in the quarter.

To start the fourth quarter, Aaron Holiday missed a three, tracked down his own rebound, and passed the ball to Amen Thompson in the low post for a dunk. In true Rockets hustle fashion, both players got to their spots to help Houston cut down the lead to three. Thompson then got fouled on the next play and made both free throws. On the next possession, he got a steal and emphatically dunked the ball to put Houston up by one point. Demar DeRozan followed with a midrange jump shot to put the Kings up by one point. Holiday hit a deep three on the other end to give the Rockets a two-point lead.

Houston and Sacramento were going bucket for bucket with each other for the majority of the quarter up until the 4:09 mark when Keegan Murray hit a big three to put the Kings up 114-105 right after DeRozan hit a signature midrange fadeaway. Dillon Brooks made a three to make the game 114-108. Eason's continuous defensive impact was felt after he then stole the ball and turned it into a fastbreak layup. Brooks followed with another three to bring Houston within one point. Sengun stole the ball from Sabonis on a Kings inbound, Eason recovered it, got fouled, and sunk both free throws to bring the Rockets up by one point.

DeRozan followed with a three, and then Malik Monk made a layup and free throw. Green made a three for the Rockets right before DeRozan made another midrange jumper and free throw to make the score 123-118 Kings. Sengun got fouled and made one free throw followed by a three from Eason to make the score 122-123 with 38.9 seconds left to play.

Fox got sent to the free throw line with 33 seconds left on a foul from Brooks as he made it a 3-point Kings lead. Green made a layup to put Houston down one point. Brooks was called for another foul on Fox on an inbound before the ball was inbounded, so Fox was rewarded one free throw, which he made, and Sacramento got to inbound the ball as well, ultimately leading to another foul on Fox in the bonus. He made both shots. Green hit a huge three from deep for Houston to make the score 127-128 with 9.9 seconds left to play.

Brooks was called for another foul, this time on Monk. The shooting guard made both rewarded shots at the free throw line. Green missed a game-tying three, Monk got fouled, and he made both shots again to ice the game.

The Rockets face the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday at Moda Center. Tip-off is set for 9:00 p.m. CST.

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