Kings at Rockets
The Houston Rockets look to keep pace with the Memphis Grizzlies at the top of the Southwest Division standings when they welcome the Sacramento Kings to the Toyota Center on Wednesday. The injury-riddled Rockets have won two in a row and sit one game behind the Grizzlies for the division lead as they hope to beat the Kings for the third consecutive time. Houston has won the last two games in the series by an average margin of 23.5 points and aims to improve to 3-1 on its current five-game homestand.
Sacramento has been one of the surprise packages in the NBA this season and is coming off a 99-89 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday. The Kings are off to their best start since opening up the 2004-05 season 13-5 and they beat the upstart Pelicans without Rudy Gay and Darren Collison, who were both nursing injuries. Sacramento has won three straight games and four of its last five as it looks to stay unbeaten in the third game of a four-game road swing.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, CSN California (Sacramento), ROOT (Houston)
ABOUT THE KINGS (9-5): Sacramento coach Michael Malone was ejected in the second quarter of the win over the Pelicans after receiving two technical fouls in quick succession for arguing a foul call. Omri Casspi and Ramon Sessions combined for 37 points in relief of Gay (Achilles) and Collison (quadriceps). DeMarcus Cousins is second in the NBA with 11 double-doubles and has recorded seven straight after finishing with 22 points and 12 rebounds against New Orleans.
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (11-3): James Harden poured in a season-high 36 points — including Houston's final 12 points of the game — to lead the shorthanded Rockets past the New York Knicks 91-86 on Monday. Dwight Howard (knee), Patrick Beverley (hamstring) and Terrence Jones (leg) were inactive for the game, forcing coach Kevin McHale to use his seventh different starting lineup. Harden equaled a career-high by knocking down seven 3-pointers versus the Knicks and has gone 13-of-24 from beyond the arc in his last three games.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Rockets have won four of the last five matchups with the Kings at the Toyota Center.
2. Harden is tied with LeBron James for the NBA lead with five 30-plus point games this season.
3. Sacramento has won two straight road games after losing its previous three.