HOUSTON (AP) — Reed Sheppard made a career-high seven 3-pointers and scored 28 points, Alperen Sengun had 26 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists, and the Houston Rockets beat the Sacramento Kings 128-97 on Wednesday night.
Kevin Durant added 21 points for the Rockets in their most-lopsided victory of the season. Houston has won two in row since blowing an 18-point lead in the fourth quarter at New York on Saturday.
Russell Westbrook scored 22 points for Sacramento, but 17 came in the first quarter. DeMar DeRozan added 15 on a night he moved ahead of Paul Pierce into 20th place on the NBA’s career scoring list.
The Kings were coming off a victory over Memphis that snapped their franchise-record 16-game losing streak.
Westbrook was 8 for 14 in the first quarter, with his 17 points his most in a first quarter since getting that many against Utah on Feb. 9, 2020. But the rest of the Kings were 1 for 10 and Houston led 33-22. The Rockets then outscored the Kings 44-28 in the second, going 8 for 12 from 3-point range, to lead 77-50 at the break.
Sengun had his third triple-double of the season and 11th of his career. Houston shot 54.7% from the field and hit 17 of its first 30 shots.
The Rockets led by 36 points in the fourth quarter.
The Kings lost starting forward Keegan Murray to a left ankle injury in the first quarter.
Up next
Kings: At Dallas on Thursday night.
Rockets: At Orlando on Thursday night.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
