Kings Snap Skid in Thrilling OT Win Behind Schroder’s Late Heroics
The Sacramento Kings haven’t had many nights to celebrate this season - but on this one, they made sure the moment didn’t slip away.
Dennis Schroder delivered the shot of the night, drilling a go-ahead three-pointer with just 2.2 seconds left in overtime to lift the Kings to a 125-124 win over the Houston Rockets in front of a raucous Golden 1 Center crowd. The win snapped a five-game losing streak and gave Sacramento a much-needed jolt of confidence after back-to-back heartbreakers against Portland.
“Just being resilient, just taking on the challenge, whatever that may be,” said DeMar DeRozan, who led the Kings with 27 points and nine assists. “We’re just pulling together. It sucks with us having the record we have, but the only way to get ourselves out of this hole is to keep digging.”
That digging paid off in a big way Saturday night - not just in the final seconds, but throughout a game that saw the Kings claw back from a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter and find answers every time Houston tried to slam the door shut.
Head coach Doug Christie, who’s been navigating the ups and downs of a young, struggling roster, praised the fight his group showed.
“The continued fight and to compete at that level, I have the utmost respect for those guys in that locker room,” Christie said. “In our league, it’s hard to win games, but you can also let go of the rope, and they refused to let go.”
A Full-Team Effort
The Kings (7-22) entered the night with the worst record in the West, having dropped nine of their last 10. But this one felt different - and it wasn’t just Schroder’s late-game heroics.
Keegan Murray matched his season high with 26 points, showing off the kind of offensive versatility that Sacramento’s been hoping to unlock more consistently. Schroder, coming off the bench, was electric with 24 points, 10 assists, and seven rebounds - a triple-double flirtation that underscored his value as both a playmaker and shot-creator.
Russell Westbrook added 21 points and 13 rebounds, while rookie big man Maxime Raynaud posted a double-double of his own with 12 points and 14 boards before fouling out in overtime.
“I don’t care how we did it, but we got a win,” Westbrook said - and that pretty much summed it up.
Trading Runs Early
The Kings came out with energy, jumping to a 14-4 lead after hitting five of their first eight shots. Westbrook set the tone early, scoring eight points in the opening four minutes.
But Houston, led by Alperen Sengun’s 28 points and Kevin Durant’s near triple-double (24 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists), didn’t stay quiet for long. Durant’s three ignited an 11-2 Rockets run, and by the end of the first quarter, Houston held a slim 31-30 edge.
The Rockets kept the pressure on in the second, building an eight-point cushion before DeRozan’s three briefly gave Sacramento the lead. Houston responded with a 12-2 run, capped by three clutch free throws from Reed Sheppard after a foul on a last-second three-point attempt. That gave the Rockets a 68-57 lead heading into the break.
Kings Rally in the Second Half
Houston kept Sacramento at arm’s length for much of the third, but the Kings never let the game get away. A 7-0 run, punctuated by a Westbrook layup, cut the lead to six midway through the quarter. Malik Monk, returning to the floor after being benched in the previous two games, got a huge ovation when he checked in - and an even louder one when he scored on a scoop layup moments later.
Still, the Kings trailed 91-82 heading into the fourth.
The Rockets pushed the lead to 14 early in the final period, but that’s when the Kings flipped the switch.
Murray went on a personal scoring spree, dropping seven points in just 44 seconds to spark a 12-0 run. Schroder capped it with a three-pointer that brought Sacramento within two with over eight minutes to go.
The Kings kept coming. Westbrook’s jumper made it a one-point game with just over three minutes left, and with 13.3 seconds remaining in regulation, he buried a corner three to tie it up and send the game to overtime.
Overtime Drama
Raynaud fouled out early in the extra period, forcing Sacramento to lean on undrafted rookie Dylan Cardwell in crunch time. And to his credit, Cardwell delivered - coming up with a huge stop on Sengun that led to a Schroder layup and a 120-117 Kings lead with 1:27 left.
But the drama was far from over.
Westbrook fouled Jabari Smith Jr. on a three-point attempt with 10.4 seconds remaining. Smith hit the first two but missed the third, giving Houston a 124-122 lead - and giving the Kings one final shot.
Out of a timeout, Schroder inbounded the ball, DeRozan drove into traffic, and then kicked it back out. Schroder, left with just enough space, rose up and buried the game-winner from deep. The arena exploded.
What’s Next
The Kings stay home to face the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday, continuing their four-game homestand. Detroit, currently sitting atop the Eastern Conference standings, will be coming off a back-to-back after facing the Trail Blazers the night before.
Led by 24-year-old Cade Cunningham - averaging 27.0 points, 6.4 rebounds, 9.2 assists and 1.4 steals - the Pistons are one of the league’s hottest teams. But for now, the Kings can savor a hard-fought win that showed exactly what this group is capable of when they refuse to let go of the rope.