ROCKETS FALL TO KINGS
Rockets struggle down the stretch in loss to Kings
Mar 2, 2025, 10:40 am
ROCKETS FALL TO KINGS
DeMar DeRozan had 21 points and the Sacramento Kings overcome an early injury to Domantas Sabonis for their third straight victory, 113-103 over the Houston Rockets on Saturday night.
Zach LaVine added 20 points for Sacramento. The Kings had a 13-3 run to push their advantage to 97-85 with 10 minutes remaining. LaVine and Keon Ellis had 3-pointers in that stretch and DeRozan scored the last five points.
Alperen Sengun led the Rockets with 30 points and 10 rebounds. Jalen Green added 24 points in the loss that ended a two-game winning streak.
Sabonis, who entered the game averaging 19.9 points and 14.4 rebounds, left about a minute into the game with a hamstring injury and didn’t return. He was running down the court when he pulled up and grabbed his left hamstring.
Kings: Sacramento used a balanced scoring attack to make up for the loss of Sabonis with six players finishing with at least 12 points.
Rockets: Fred VanVleet was rusty in his return after missing 11 games with a strained right ankle, going 1 for 8 with three points in 35 minutes. The veteran needs to get back on track quickly to help stabilize an offense that has struggled at times in his absence.
LaVine’s 3-pointer late in the third quarter which started the big run that allowed the Kings to pull away.
The Kings outscored Houston 58-44 in the paint.
The Rockets visit Oklahoma City on Monday night, and the Kings visit Dallas that night.
Cristian Javier and Luis Garcia are back on the mound, but can they actually help the Houston Astros this season?
Javier made his first rehab start in the Florida Complex League (FCL), his first appearance since undergoing Tommy John surgery, and the results weren’t promising.
He struck out two but gave up three runs and reported some elbow soreness afterward. He’s expected to use his full 30-day rehab window.
Meanwhile, Luis Garcia had a slightly better outing, striking out four in his own FCL appearance. But with the Astros dealing with a wave of long-term pitching injuries, fans are left wondering: Are these arms just rusty, or not ready at all?
Be sure to watch the video below as ESPN Houston's John Granato and Lance Zierlein break down both pitchers’ status, what their timelines look like, and whether Astros fans should have hope or concerns about their returns.
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