Alperen Sengun was the star of the night, recording his third triple-double of the season as the Houston Rockets soared to a commanding 128-97 victory over the Sacramento Kings. Sengun’s impressive stat line featured 26 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists, showcasing his all-around game. Meanwhile, Reed Sheppard lit up the scoreboard with a game-high 28 points, draining a career-best seven 3-pointers in just his seventh start, stepping in for the injured Amen Thompson.
The Rockets were firing on all cylinders, shooting an efficient 55% from the field and sinking 17 of 39 attempts from beyond the arc. This offensive explosion came against a Kings squad that had just snapped a 16-game losing streak with a win over the Memphis Grizzlies.
Russell Westbrook led the charge for Sacramento, putting up 22 points and doing his best to keep the Kings competitive early on. Westbrook scored 10 of the team’s first 12 points, and by the time he completed a three-point play late in the first quarter, the Kings were within striking distance at 26-22. However, the rest of the Kings struggled, shooting just 1 for 10 in the opening quarter.
The Rockets took full advantage, stringing together a 15-0 run that carried over into the second quarter. Sheppard was instrumental during this stretch, hitting two crucial 3-pointers to push the lead to 41-22. Houston continued to build on this momentum, with Sheppard hitting another three to give the Rockets their first 20-point lead at 49-29.
By halftime, the Rockets had established a commanding 77-47 lead, thanks in part to a smooth 18-footer from Kevin Durant, who contributed 21 points on the night.
The Kings attempted a comeback early in the third quarter, sparked by a Nique Clifford 3-pointer, which fueled a 16-4 run that trimmed the deficit to 16 points. But the Rockets had an answer, closing the quarter with an 18-2 run, highlighted by a Sengun dunk, extending their lead to 108-76.
Sengun capped off his stellar performance by dishing out his 10th assist on an Aaron Holiday 3-pointer late in the third quarter, sealing the Rockets’ dominant win.
As for the Kings, they’ll look to bounce back as they continue their road trip with a matchup against the Dallas Mavericks. Sacramento is currently 1-1 against Dallas this season, having lost their last encounter by a narrow 100-98 margin. Fans can catch all the action on Sactown Sports 1140 AM, with pregame coverage starting at 4:00 PM PT.