SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) 鈥� Domantas Sabonis had 19 points, a career-high 16 assists and 15 rebounds in his fourth triple-double of the season, and the Sacramento Kings beat the skidding Houston Rockets 139-114 on Friday night for their third straight win.
The Kings (23-18) moved five games over .500 for the first time since April 2006, when they made their most recent playoff appearance.
鈥淵ou don鈥檛 just feel it at the arena, you feel it out and about in Sacramento,鈥� Kings coach Mike Brown said of the response to the highest-scoring team in the NBA. 鈥淚t鈥檚 genuine. You genuinely feel their joy when you talk to them... We love them to death, and we are happy that we can bring some joy to them.鈥�
Sabonis joined Oscar Robertson as the only players in franchise history with at least 15 points, 15 rebounds and 15 assists in a game. Robertson did it 15 times for the Cincinnati Royals.
Harrison Barnes scored 27 points and De鈥橝aron Fox added 24.
鈥淭hey were making a ton of 3s in transition,鈥� Rockets coach Stephen Silas said. 鈥淲e are a help team and we鈥檙e gonna give up some, but too many.鈥�
With 11:09 left, Malik Monk, Chimezie Metu, Tari Eason and Garrison Matthews were all ejected. Monk and Matthews went face-to-face after a foul was called on Monk during a fast break.
鈥淚 had no issue with it,鈥� Barnes said of the altercation. 鈥淎t the end of the day that鈥檚 the fight that we need as a team, that鈥檚 the fight that we鈥檒l need this season, and that鈥檚 the fight we鈥檒l need for the playoffs.鈥�
Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr. each scored 27 points for the Rockets (10-32). They have lost nine consecutive games and 14 of 15.
鈥淛ust my teammates trusting me,鈥� Smith, the No. 3 pick, said of his career night. 鈥淢e trying to get to the basket more and trying to expand my game a little bit."
TIP-INS
Rockets: G Kevin Porter Jr. was ruled out with a bruised left foot.
Kings: G Kevin Huerter was ruled out for the second consecutive game with a non-COVID-19 illness. Terence Davis started in his place and scored 22 points.
UP NEXT
Rockets: Travel to Los Angeles to face the Clippers on Sunday.
Kings: Travel to San Antonio to face the Spurs on Sunday.
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Cameron Salerno, The Associated Press
