Sacramento Kings unable to keep up as Houston Rockets blast off to win 118-105
The Houston Rockets overwhelmed the Sacramento Kings at the Toyota Center in Houston, TX on Wednesday, winning the game 118-105.
The game lasted two hours and seven minutes, and more than 13,000 basketball fans witnessed the home team’s victory. Kings’ fans left the arena greatly disappointed. The Kings had been announced the second best offensive team in
the NBA on Tuesday, but the Rockets had not let them bear that title in this game. They had kept the Kings at a whooping 14-10 margin.
Stats
This was the sixth straight home victory for the Rockets, who have now won five out of their last seven games.
Kyle Lowry contributed 12 points, nine assists and four rebounds to the Houston Rockets’ box score.
The lead changed twice during the game, and the score was tied twice too.
Box score
Players’ Stats
Sacramento Kings (5-17)
None of the Kings’ players scored more than 17 points. DeMarcus Cousins and Carl Landry scored 17 points apiece for the Kings, while Jason Thompson contributed 15 points and 10 rebounds, and Luther Head could only score 11 points.
The Kings did however grab seven team rebounds.
Houston Rockets (10-14)
Luis Scola scored a game-high 23 points and dished 10 assists, Chase Budinger added 18 points and Kevin Martin contributed 14 points to the Rockets’ box score.
But the team could not manage more than four team rebounds.
Game Stats
The Sacramento Kings grabbed 41 rebounds whereas the Rockets got 42. The Kings could only grab 10 offensive team rebounds while the Rockets dived out for 14.
The Kings gave away a whooping 18 turnovers that can be considered the reason for their downfall, whereas the Rockets gave away only 11.
The Kings’ biggest lead in the game was nine points and the Rockets’ was 22. The Kings had 38 points in the paint whereas the Rockets had 56.
Best Play
Scola, the protagonist of the show, had a double-double and made the day for the Rockets. He scored 23 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a serious play.
Turning point
It was in the second quarter of the game that the scores were tied at 44 and there were just 4:11 left on the clock. At that precarious moment, the Kings lost their offensive spark to the Rockets. The Kings were less cautious about
giving away bad passes at this time and shot just one for six, which turned the Rockets on a 14-4 run. The Houston Rockets kept that fire raging as they hopped into the third quarter and pulled an 8-0 run. Never did they look back after that.
Hottest player
Budinger had half of the Rockets’ fuel burning inside him as he was leaping throughout the game with his offensive techniques that kept the Kings at an arm’s length. He scored 18 points as he shot 13 for 20 at a percentage of 65.
Quotes
"That's the key to our team. If we rebound, we're going to play solid half-court defense.” – Rockets forward Shane Battier
"My confidence is back up and any chance, any opening that I get, I'm letting it fly. The balls are going down. … They're going in, and that feels great." – Rockets forward Chase Budinger
Coming up next
For the Kings: Wednesday @ New Orleans, Friday @ Oklahoma City, Sunday vs. Houston.
For the Rockets, Wednesday @ Oklahoma City, Friday vs. Memphis, Sunday @ Sacramento.
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