KEY TAKEAWAYS
Rockets' hot streak cools off as tempers flare against Kings
Dec 4, 2024, 9:47 am
Kings defeat the Rockets, 120-111. Photo by Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Images.
Domantas Sabonis scored 27 points and Sacramento made 15 straight shots from the field to beat Houston 120-111 on Tuesday night and deny the Rockets the top seed in the NBA Cup quarterfinals.
The shooting spree by the Kings turned an eight-point deficit late in the second quarter into a 12-point lead midway through the third to give the Kings their only win in four NBA Cup games.
De’Aaron Fox added 22 points, Malik Monk had 17 points and a career-high 12 assists, and DeMar DeRozan scored 16.
The Rockets won their first three games in the NBA Cup and could have clinched the top seed in the West with a win over the Kings. Houston will host Golden State in the quarterfinals.
Jalen Green scored 28 to lead Houston and Alperen Sengun added 24.
Takeaways
Rockets: Houston had won three straight and 10 of 12 games before delivering a dud against Sacramento. The frustration led to coach Ime Udoka and Sengun getting ejected late in the fourth quarter.
Kings: Sacramento found its shooting touch after hitting less than 40% of its 3-point tries in six straight games. The Kings came into the day ranking sixth worst in the NBA by making 33.2% from 3 but went 14 for 30 against Houston.
Key moment
The Kings shooting run began shortly after a heated moment between the teams after a hard foul by Fox against Jabari Smith Jr. There were three technicals issued with Monk getting one for Sacramento and Smith and Dillon Brooks getting them for Houston.
Key stat
The Kings went nearly nine minutes of game action without missing a shot from the field. Sabonis and Fox each made four, DeRozan and Keegan Murray made three and Monk made one.
Up next
The Rockets play at Golden State on Thursday night. The Kings travel to face Memphis.
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Christian Walker homered in a three-run second, Ryan Gusto pitched well into the sixth and the Houston Astros beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 on Wednesday night to sweep the three-game series.
CHRISTIAN SKYWALKER. #BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/EZxbda3HT3
— Houston Astros (@astros) April 24, 2025
Walker led off the second with a home run to left off Bowden Francis (2-3), Yainer Diaz tripled and scored on Zach Dezenzo's RBI single and Yordan Alvarez capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly.
Gusto (3-1) allowed one run on three hits with six strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings. Gusto has allowed three runs or fewer in each of his three starts this season.
Bryan King pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings, and Bryan Abreu threw a scoreless eighth.
George Springer walked, and Ernie Clement doubled with one out in the ninth, but Josh Hader struck out Alejandro Kirk and induced a flyout by Myles Straw for his seventh save.
Houston has won five of its last six.
Springer hit an RBI double in the fourth for the Blue Jays. They have lost five straight games.
Francis surrendered three runs on eight hits in 4 2/3 innings. He has allowed three runs or fewer in four of his five starts.
Key moment
Hader striking out Kirk and getting Straw to flyout to center to end it.
Key stat
The Astros swept the Blue Jays for the first time since they swept a four-game series in Houston on May 14-17, 2015.
Final Thoughts
Julia Morales caught up with Walker after the game.
#Astros beat the Blue Jays 3-1
Christian Walker 2-4, HR & spoke with @JuliaMorales after the @astros WIN#BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/MyRYdVwidH
— Space City Home Network (@SpaceCityHN) April 24, 2025
Up next
Houston starts a three-game series Friday at Kansas City, with RHP Hayden Wesneski (1-1, 3.91 ERA) starting the opener. Toronto RHP José Berríos (1-1, 5.02) starts Friday night in the opener of a three-game series at the Yankees.
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