NBA Game Summary - Sacramento at Houston
Houston, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - Isaiah Canaan nailed six 3-pointers and scored a career-high 24 points as the Houston Rockets defeated the Sacramento Kings, 102-89, on Wednesday night.
James Harden netted 26 points, but was just 10-of-31 from the field. He added eight assists and seven rebounds. Donatas Motiejunas provided 21 points and six boards for the Rockets, who have won three in a row and six of their last eight games.
"Isaiah played extremely well at both ends of the floor," Harden said. "Our defense turned it up when we needed to."
DeMarcus Cousins posted 29 points, 17 rebounds and six assists for Sacramento, which had a three-game winning streak snapped.
"Fourth quarter was disappointing, we didn't execute," Kings coach Michael Malone said.
The Kings trailed by as many as 22 in the first half, but a Carl Landry jumper pulled them within 77-75 in the opening minute of the fourth.
Houston, though, responded with an 11-4 run to regain control of the contest. Harden capped the surge with a 3-pointer for an 88-79 advantage with 5:09 remaining. Sacramento never got within less than six the rest of the way.
Earlier, Harden netted six quick points and Motiejunas and Canaan nailed consecutive triples as Houston raced out to a 21-11 spread.
Jason Terry knocked down a trey in the waning second of the first and the Rockets led 37-19 following a quarter of play.
Francisco Garcia's dunk staked Houston to a 41-19 margin in the second, but the Kings closed the half on a 7-0 flurry and cut the deficit to 57-50 heading into the break.
Ramon Sessions and Ben McLemore hit back-to-back from downtown early in the third to get the Kings within 57-56 before an 11-4 Rockets swing extended their margin to 68-60 midway through the frame.
Houston took a 77-73 margin into the fourth.