Keegan Murray scored a career-high 30 factors and drilled eight 3-pointers because the visiting Sacramento Kings rode a balanced assault to a 140-120 victory over the Houston Rockets on Monday.
Murray was certainly one of six gamers to attain in double figures for the Kings, who shot 58.4 p.c general whereas connecting on 21 of 41 3-pointers. De’Aaron Fox paired 16 factors with eight assists in his return from a two-game absence, whereas Kevin Huerter additionally chipped in 16 factors for Sacramento.
Domantas Sabonis (17 factors, 10 assists) recorded a double-double, and Malik Monk equipped 20 factors off the Kings’ bench.
Jalen Green led the Rockets with 27 factors whereas Eric Gordon added 16 factors and a team-high eight assists. Kenyon Martin Jr. totaled 18 factors and eight rebounds and Alperen Sengun posted 15 factors, seven rebounds and 7 assists as Houston dropped its third straight.
Trailing by 17 at intermission, the Rockets rallied to inside 5 factors courtesy of their sudden proficiency from behind the arc. Houston missed 10 of 12 3-pointers within the first half however drilled six over the opening 6 1/2 minutes of the third quarter, with Eric Gordon’s triple making it 81-76 with 5:45 left to play within the interval.
But the Rockets had been on the incorrect finish of a essential swing when Jabari Smith Jr. missed a reverse layup and Murray responded with consecutive 3-pointers that prolonged the Sacramento result in 87-76. When Monk stroked a 3-pointer off a Fox help simply earlier than the buzzer, the Kings went up 99-88 getting into the fourth.
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Sacramento led by 20 simply earlier than the halfway level of the ultimate stanza following a 10-2 run, and the Rockets by no means significantly threatened from there.
The Kings turned 5 Houston turnovers and 5 offensive rebounds right into a plus-11 margin in shot makes an attempt within the first interval, a key benefit behind their 31-24 lead by the conclusion of the body. Houston continued to wrestle within the second, significantly through the Kings’ 18-7 run to shut the primary half.
