Facing adversity, Kings knock off Rockets

Dec 3, 2024, 9:44 PM | Updated: 10:11 pm

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 03: De'Aaron Fox #5 of the Sacramento Kings shoots over Jalen Gre...

(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Lead Editor & Kings Beat Writer

It didn’t take long for things to get chippy between the Sacramento Kings and Houston Rockets on Tuesday night, as three technical fouls were handed out during the first half.

Tensions were already high amid the Kings’ poor start to the regular season, and a glaring question emerged as they faced an early deficit against the surging Rockets: Respond or rollover?

Sacramento answered the call emphatically, erasing an 11-point lead and turning in one of its best performances of the young season during a 120-111 win at Golden 1 Center.

The win arrived at a much-needed time for the Kings (10-12), as they snapped a four-game home losing streak in style by defeating the number-two seed in the Western Conference.

FOX FORCE 5 ✈️ 🦊 pic.twitter.com/N5ho4a0220

— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) December 4, 2024

Kings vs. Rockets recap & takeaways

Houston entered the night as the top rebounding team in the NBA, and they asserted themselves early in that category.

The Rockets outrebounded Sacramento 18-8 during the first quarter, while the Kings struggled to a 36 percent start from the field. Houston–the owner of the NBA’s second-best defensive rating–continued to cause problems for a frazzled Sacramento offense during the first half while stretching its lead to double-digits.

It was an overall chippy start to this one, with the notorious Dillon Brooks getting into several heated conversations with De’Aaron Fox during the second quarter. Brooks, Jabari Smith Jr., and Malik Monk were all hit with technical fouls as officials attempted to keep things from escalating, but for just a few moments, it was good to see the Kings show some fight.

Fox scored ten of his 15 first-half points during the second quarter and helped pace an 11-1 run to close out period, one that brought Golden 1 Center to its feet as Sacramento responded to a competitive start to the night with a punch of their own.

Kings got some positive momentum headed into halftime after an 11-1 run.

Looks like we might have Angry Fox tonight after his early back-and-forth with Dillon Brooks. pic.twitter.com/3p6GTiRwUu

— Brenden Nunes (@BrendenNunesNBA) December 4, 2024

The energy from the Kings’ inspired stretch of play to end the first half carried into the third quarter, with Keegan Murray’s much-needed three-point shooting acting as a strong sign that Sacramento’s offense was dialed in.

Murray, who entered the night shooting just 27 percent from deep to start the season, followed up a triple that ended the first half with two long balls over the opening minutes of the second half to help the Kings go on a 17-6 run over the first five minutes of the period.

Coupled with the red-hot ending of the second quarter, Sacramento converted 15 straight field goals in a showcase of offense that fans had waited weeks to see.

The Kings outscored Houston 42-29 while shooting 17-of-23 (74%) from the floor during the third quarter, with DeMar DeRozan scoring 13 points on five-of-six shooting in the period. Sacramento was in the driver’s seat with 12 minutes to go, holding a 96-84 lead as the offense continued to slice through the NBA’s second-best defense.

Houston made its attempts at a late run, but the Kings remained in control down the final stretch as the Rockets lost their cool.

On a night that featured several Houston ejections, Sacramento kept its cool en route to what very well may be the best win of the season through 22 games.

Not only did the Kings shoot 51 percent from the field and 46 percent from three-point range, but they also handed out 33 assists while turning the ball over ten times. Sacramento turned 16 Houston turnovers into 22 points and won the battle of the paint 56-36 against a Rockets defense that entered play as the NBA’s fourth-best paint defense (42.1 points allowed per game).

“We made the game easy for one another,” Kings head coach Mike Brown said of his team’s ball movement. “I thought our guys [moved the ball around] at a very high level.”

‘Lik beats the buzzer 🔥 pic.twitter.com/45lvN5Kasu

— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) December 4, 2024

Malik Monk was the main table-setter on Tuesday night, as the recently-named starting guard finished the game with a career-high 12 assists and no turnovers while scoring 17 points on four-of-eight shooting from three-point range.

The Sixth Man of the Year runner-up from a year ago has handed out six or more assists in four straight games–the longest such streak of his career.

“To have 12 assists and zero turnovers, especially against a team like that, is outstanding,” Brown said of Monk’s playmaking. “That just shows what he’s capable of day in and day out.”

Monk was one of seven Kings to finish the night in double-figures, rounding out a starting unit that scored 95 points on 51 percent shooting from the field.

The story of the night was Sacramento’s ability to move past a physical and verbal encounter with Houston and known instigator Dillon Brooks, something Fox spoke about with a smile on his face during his postgame press conference.

“People don’t usually [talk trash] to me, for good reason,” Fox said of the first half encounter. “They didn’t say anything to me after that, though. You say something to me, come along for the ride.”

Things getting chippy here between Brooks and Fox.

Double technicals assessed to Brooks and Monk, who came to support his teammate. pic.twitter.com/pcWLI4qg0e

— Brenden Nunes (@BrendenNunesNBA) December 4, 2024

Rounding out the box score

Domantas Sabonis was a force in the paint, scoring 26 of his 27 points around the rim on 13-of-19 shooting. De’Aaron Fox stuffed the stat sheet with 22 points, six rebounds, seven assists, and three steals, while DeMar DeRozan added 16 points (13 in the third quarter).

Keegan Murray scored 13 points, but the third-year forward shook off a rough month of November to convert three of his five attempts from long distance–his first game with three or more made triples since November 6th.

Two-way forward Isaac Jones continued his impressive run in a reserve role, scoring a career-high 12 points on five-of-five shooting to go along with two blocks.

Notes

With his steal at the 10:25 mark of Q1, De’Aaron Fox reached 700 career steals. He is the third player in franchise history to reach 700 steals and the second in the Sacramento era. Fox joins Sam Lacey (950) and Doug Christie (717).

Injury Update

Kevin Huerter (right ankle sprain), who suffered a right ankle sprain during Sacramento’s loss in Portland on Friday, returned to the active roster after missing one game. Huerter scored 13 points on three-of-seven shooting from three-point range over 25 minutes.

Trey Lyles (grade 1 calf strain) continues to work his way back to the hardwood. Lyles, who suffered the injury on November 25th against Oklahoma City, is one week into his three-to-four-week recovery window before Sacramento’s training staff re-evaluates the veteran forward.

When is the next Sacramento Kings game?

Sacramento will begin a brief two-city road trip on Thursday night against Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies.

Last season, the Kings enjoyed a three-game regular season series sweep of Memphis, including both games at the FedEx Forum.

Be sure to catch all of the Kings vs. Grizzlies action right here on Sactown Sports 1140 AM, with pregame coverage starting at 2:00 PM PT on The Drive Guys before action tips off at 5:00 PM PT from Memphis, Tennessee.