Houston RocketsOpen full analysis
Sacramento KingsOpen full analysis
The Sacramento Kings edged the Houston Rockets 125–124 on December 21 at Golden 1 Center in a defensive struggle that fell short of the 222.5-point Vegas total. DeMar DeRozan led Sacramento with 27 points while Keegan Murray added 26, anchoring a Kings offense that shot 46.3 percent and connected on 12 three-pointers. Houston's Alperen Sengun countered with 28 points and Kevin Durant contributed 24, but the Rockets' 16 made threes and 47 rebounds proved insufficient despite a 47.9 field-goal percentage. The Rockets dominated the second quarter, outscoring Sacramento 37–27 to build momentum, yet the Kings controlled the fourth quarter with 30 points to Houston's 21, sealing the one-point victory. Sacramento's defensive rating of 117.5 held up when it mattered most, while Houston's 14 turnovers versus Sacramento's 11 tilted possession battle in the home team's favor. The Kings' resilience in a low-scoring final frame—combined with Houston's third-quarter collapse of just 23 points—proved decisive. Sacramento's one-point survival keeps them competitive in the Western Conference chase.
