Rockets at Kings
Sacramento point guard Rajon Rondo will serve a one-game suspension for
using a gay slur toward a referee and not exiting the court in a timely
manner when the Kings host the Houston Rockets on Tuesday. Rondo's
actions occurred in a contest Dec. 3 and became more controversial Monday when the official, Bill Kennedy, revealed publicly that he is
gay.
Sacramento management apologized for the situation and made it clear it doesn't tolerate Rondo's behavior. "Rajon's comment was disrespectful and offensive, and we wholeheartedly disapprove of any language that discriminates or disparages others based on sexual orientation or anything else," general manager Vlade Divac said in a statement. "Rajon has apologized and this is not the sort of behavior we condone nor is it representative of the Sacramento Kings organization." The Rockets have controlled the series against Sacramento and are looking to defeat the Kings for the eighth straight time. The streak includes two victories this season and star guard James Harden was on his game on both occasions while averaging 37 points and 11 assists.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, NBATV, ROOT (Houston), CSN California (Sacramento)
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (12-13): Houston connected on 16 3-pointers in a 120-113 victory over the Kings on Dec. 5 and topped that total with a season-best 18 in Monday's 114-108 loss to the Denver Nuggets. Harden was 5-of-8 from behind the arc against Denver but the Rockets were outrebounded 52-26 and allowed 60 second-half points while suffering only their third defeat in the last 10 games. "Our focus is on us and what we're doing defensively," interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff said afterward. "We didn't get the job done often enough."
ABOUT THE KINGS (9-15): Coach George Karl didn't feel Rondo should be suspended for his tirade — "It surprised me and disappointed me," Karl told reporters — and will turn the offense over to Darren Collison against the Rockets. "It's not the hand I would like to be dealt but in an 82-game season, there's a lot of curveballs sent your way," Karl said after Monday's practice. "We have a good enough team to figure out the 'next man up' mentality." Collison is averaging 13.1 points and 3.9 assists in 28 minutes off the bench this season.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Kings last defeated the Rockets on Dec. 31, 2013.
2. Sacramento backup SG Marco Belinelli is 6-of-17 shooting during the past two games.
3. Houston F/C Clint Capela (food poisoning) could sit out for the second straight night.