Road Reaction: Rockets 103, Kings 89

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Recap

Box Score

The Sacramento Kings hoped to make it two straight on the road, following their victory Wednesday against Toronto Raptors.  But the Houston Rockets came out on top Friday, beating the Kings 103-89 in the Toyota Center.  Tyreke Evans led the way with 27 points, but no other Kings crested the 13-point mark.

After a huge night in Toronto, DeMarcus Cousins got taken to the woodshed by former King Samuel Dalembert.  Known for his defense, Dalembert was an offensive revelation and scored 21 points against his old team.  He also pulled down 16 rebounds and blocked four shots, while holding Cousins to four points and four rebounds in 18 minutes of foul-riddled ball.

Kyle Lowry kicked in 25 points and nine assists for Houston.  Like Dalembert, power forward Luis Scola notched a double-double, finishing with 21 points and 11 rebounds.

Notes and Analysis

  • Jimmer Fredette had his worst game as a pro, scoring four points on 1-for-2 shooting in 20 minutes of action.
  • Same could be said about DeMarcus Cousins.  Dalembert looked motivated against Cousins, holding the talented big man to 1-for-7 shooting.
  • John Salmons shot 2-for-10 from the field and had rookie Chandler Parsons run circles around him.  I don’t want to get into the 18 foot jumpers with 17 seconds on the shot clock.
  • Donté Greene and Francisco Garcia are making headway in the rotation.  After seeing limited action under Westphal, both of these guys are seeing an increase in playing time under Keith Smart.
  • Greene led the Kings in rebounding with eight boards.
  •  Three Kings starters scored exactly four points.
  • Travis Outlaw received a DNP-CD for a second consecutive game.
  • Tyreke Evans continued his hot play, scoring 27 points, grabbing six rebounds and handing out five assists.
  • Stat of the Night: The Kings recorded a season-high 17 assists on the evening.
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