KINGS DEFEAT ROCKETS
Rockets come up short falling to the Kings, 132-127
Jan 17, 2025, 12:11 pm
KINGS DEFEAT ROCKETS
DeMar DeRozan had 33 points, Malik Monk added 26 points and nine assists and the Sacramento Kings beat the Houston Rockets 132-127 on Thursday night.
Monk made the last four free throws for Kings. They improved to 21-20 with their eighth victory in nine games.
Domantas Sabonis had 20 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists for the Kings, and DeAaron Fox added 19 points.
Jaden Green led Houston with 28 points, and Alperen Şengun had 21 points and 10 rebounds. The Rockets had won seven straight on the road.
Behind by 16 points midway through the third quarter, the Rockets charged back to take a 91-90 lead.
The Rockets are at Portland on Saturday night. The Kings host Washington on Sunday night.
Cade Cunningham had 32 points, nine rebounds and seven assists to lead the Detroit Pistons to a 107-96 win over the Houston Rockets on Monday.
Cunningham was 12 of 22 from the field. He scored 19 points in the third quarter as the Pistons built a 90-80 lead after three.
Jalen Duren had 16 points and 14 rebounds, Malik Beasley added 17 points off the bench, and Ausar Thompson had 11 points and nine rebounds for the Pistons, who shot 48% and were 10 of 27 on 3-pointers.
Fred VanVleet scored 20 points, and Jalen Green scored 19 points. Amen Thompson, who missed the game at Portland on Saturday with left calf soreness, added 17 points for Houston, which shot 39% and struggled from 3, connecting on 11 of 39.
Detroit: The Pistons committed 23 turnovers but were able to overcome it by forcing the Rockets into 17 turnovers and converting it into 19 points.
Houston: The Rockets got balanced scoring with five players in double figures, including Alperen Sengun, who had 11 points and eight rebounds, and Cam Whitmore, who had 10 points off the bench, but they couldn’t overcome poor shooting.
After Houston cut Detroit’s lead to 90-85 three minutes into the fourth quarter, Marcus Sasser hit a jumper and three-pointer to spark an 11-2 run as Detroit pulled away.
Detroit had a 52-39 advantage in rebounding and a 50-40 edge in points in the paint.
Houston hosts Cleveland on Wednesday, and Detroit plays at Atlanta the same day.