Kings at Rockets
THE STORY: The Western Conference is one big jumble from No. 4 through 10, with the Houston Rockets right in the middle. Tied for the eighth and final playoff spot, the Rockets are only 1 1/2 games out of fourth place and one game above 10th. One team not in the mix in is the Sacramento Kings, who own a 4-22 road record.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, CS California (Kings), FS Houston (Rockets)
ABOUT THE KINGS (17-31): No team in the NBA allows more than Sacramento’s 103.4 points and only the Charlotte Bobcats are worse on the road. The Kings have no trouble running with the opposition but can never seem to get the stops necessary at the end. Sacramento held a halftime lead in its last trip to Houston on Jan. 13, but could not keep up the pace and ended up suffering a 103-89 setback. Tyreke Evans scored 27 points but was the only starter to reach double figures in that matchup. The Kings have been more balanced of late as Marcus Thornton and DeMarcus Cousins have each chipped in some scoring.
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (26-23): Houston usually features a pair of former Kings in Samuel Dalembert and Kevin Martin. Dalembert went for 21 points and 16 rebounds in the Jan. 13 meeting. Martin (shoulder) and backcourt mate Kyle Lowry (bacterial infection) have both been out recently and are not expected to play Monday. Lowry has been replaced in the starting lineup by Goran Dragic, who has made the most of his opportunity by averaging 17.0 points and 9.4 assists in the last nine games. Dragic went for 24 and eight on Saturday but it wasn’t enough in a 101-99 overtime loss to the Dallas Mavericks.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Cousins has dominated the paint with 18 rebounds in each of the last two games while averaging 25.0 points.
2. Houston has taken five of the last six meetings overall and eight of the last 10 at home.
3. Sacramento forward Jason Thompson (ankle) missed the last game and is day-to-day.