Dillon Brooks' 26 points leads balanced attack in Rockets' 107-89 win over the Kings

POSTED: November 5, 2023 -- 7:25 a.m. CT

HOUSTON, TX (Toyota Center) -- Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks scored 12 of his season-high 26 points in the fourth quarter to help the Rockets defeat the Sacramento Kings 107-89 Saturday night.

Brooks made 9 of 14 field goals and added a career-high tying 9 rebounds. Brooks scored inside and outside with post-ups and three-point buckets.

Houston led 80-77 in the 4th when Brooks scored 12 points during a 16-5 run. Brooks scored a putback layup; a driving 6-foot hook shot; a 6-foot floater; then back-to-back threes in front of the Kings' bench.

"I got a lot of things to my game," Brooks said after the game. "I feel like they were guarding me pretty close, trying to make me go downhill. I just take what the defense gives me."

The Rockets (2-3) outscored the Kings 33-19 in the first quarter and led by as much as 17 in the opening session. Sacramento responded with a 34-26 second quarter and cut the Rockets' lead to 59-53 at halftime.

The third quarter was a quagmire as both teams struggled to make shots. Houston didn't make a field goal for nearly 10 minutes and Sacramento took a 65-64 lead on a three-point basket by forward Harrison Barnes. However, the Kings went through a five-minute field goal drought which helped the Rockets onto a 71-68 lead after three quarters.

Houston was outscored 15-12 in the third quarter. The Rockets shot 13% (3 for 23) -- including 9.1% (1 for 11 from 3) in the third period.

The Kings (2-3) were slight better at 26.1% (6 for 23) and 3 for 12 (25%) from 3 in the third.

"We were able to sustain it (the poor shooting in the 3rd) with our defense," Ime Udoka, Rockets Head Coach, said after the game.

The Rockets outrebounded Sacramento 53-43 for the first time Houston has outrebounded its opponent this season.

Coach Udoka said the team did a few old-school things in practice the past few days to emphasize rebounding.

"Coach brought up a stat and said we're last in rebounding," Jabari Smith Jr. said after the game. "I kind of took that personal; and, I'm sure everybody else did and we tried to make an emphasis to get hits and rebound and be able to get back in transition and get stops."

Jabari finished the game with season-highs of 21 points and 11 rebounds for his first double-double of the season.

Rockets point guard Fred VanVleet had 21 points and 12 assists with 2 turnovers. It is his second straight game with 20+ points and 10+ assists and his third overall this season.

With the win tonight, the Rockets snap a six-game losing streak to the Kings. Houston has won two in a row after losing its first three games of the season while Sacramento has lost two straight to fall to 2-3.

NEXT:

The Rockets' next game is Monday, November 6, at home, versus the Kings. Tip is set for 7 p.m. Central Time.

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