The losing streak for the young Houston Rockets (10-32) is at a season-high nine games — and 14 of their last 15, overall — after Friday’s 139-114 loss at Sacramento (box score). The Kings (23-18) have now won three straight and six of their last nine games.
Kevin Porter Jr., Houston’s usual starting point guard, didn’t play due to a left foot contusion suffered in Wednesday’s game in Sacramento, which was the first of two straight between the teams.
Domantas Sabonis responded to Alperen Sengun’s triple-double two nights earlier with one of his own, registering 19 points, 16 assists, and 15 rebounds. Harrison Barnes led the Kings in scoring with 27 points on 8-of-14 shooting (57.1%) and 5-of-8 on 3-pointers (62.5%).
Sacramento is looking to earn its first Western Conference playoff berth since 2006, which represents the NBA’s longest active drought.
Key statistics for the Rockets in Friday’s game included:
- Jalen Green: 27 points (just 2 in second half) on 10-of-21 shooting (47.6%) and 5-of-9 on 3-pointers (55.6%); 2 steals, 4 turnovers
- Jabari Smith Jr.: Career-high 27 points on 11-of-20 shooting (55.0%) and 2-of-7 on 3-pointers (28.6%); 8 rebounds, career-high 3 blocks
- Alperen Sengun: 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting (75.0%); 7 assists, 6 rebounds, 4 steals
Scroll on for highlights, analysis, and further postgame reaction. Next up for Houston, as its four-game West Coast road trip winds down, is a Sunday-Monday back-to-back in Los Angeles versus the Clippers and Lakers, respectively. Tipoff for Sunday’s Rockets-Clippers matinee at the Crypto.com Arena is at 2:00 p.m. Central.