Tipoff is scheduled for 8:00 PM ET (7:00 PM CT)
Venue: Toyota Center, Houston, Texas
Broadcast: Space City Home Network (Rockets); NBCS-CA (Kings); League Pass nationally/internationally
This matchup pits the NBA’s worst team against one of the Western Conference’s top contenders in what shapes up as a significant mismatch at Toyota Center. The Rockets, sitting third in the West, aim to maintain momentum after a dominant home win, while the road-weary Kings—owners of the league’s worst record—continue a rebuilding/tanking season marked by heavy absences and poor away performance.
Team Recent Form (Last 5 Games)
- Kings (1-4): W 123-114 @ Memphis (2/23), L 139-122 @ San Antonio (2/21), L 131-94 vs. Orlando (2/19), L 121-93 @ Utah (2/11), L 120-94 @ New Orleans (2/9). They snapped a long skid with a recent road win but remain 1-9 in their last 10 overall and struggle mightily away from home.
- Rockets (3-2): W 125-105 vs. Utah (2/23), L 108-106 @ New York (2/21), W 105-101 @ Charlotte (2/19), L 105-102 vs. LA Clippers (2/11), W 102-95 vs. LA Clippers (2/10). Houston shows resilience with strong home dominance and defensive efforts, though road losses highlight occasional inconsistency.
Injury Report
Sacramento Kings (heavily depleted):
- Out: Domantas Sabonis (knee/meniscus, long-term), Zach LaVine (finger tendon), De’Andre Hunter (eye/retinal or foot, long-term), Dylan Cardwell (ankle, re-eval ~March 19).
- Questionable: Devin Carter (low back soreness).
- Impact: No elite rebounding or interior presence without Sabonis; scoring punch diminished without LaVine. Roster relies on veterans like DeMar DeRozan and Russell Westbrook amid youth experiments.
Houston Rockets:
- Out: Amen Thompson (left quadricep tendinitis), Fred VanVleet (ACL, long-term), Steven Adams (ankle surgery, long-term), Jae’Sean Tate (knee sprain, ~March 10), Tristen Newton (G-League).
- Impact: Missing key perimeter defense/athleticism (Thompson) and veteran point guard play (VanVleet), but core stars remain available for a home blowout opportunity.
Key Player Matchups
- Kevin Durant (HOU, ~37 years old, veteran scorer) vs. Kings’ wings/forwards (e.g., DeMar DeRozan or available defenders): Durant’s mid-range mastery, length, and clutch scoring (evident in recent games with 18+ points and playmaking) exploit Sacramento’s weak perimeter defense and lack of elite stoppers.
- Alperen Şengün / Jabari Smith Jr. (HOU frontcourt) vs. Kings’ depleted bigs: Without Sabonis or Cardwell, Houston’s rebounding edge (48+ RPG) and interior efficiency should dominate. Smith Jr. recently dropped 31 points in a blowout.
- DeMar DeRozan / Russell Westbrook (SAC veterans) vs. Rockets’ remaining guards/wings: DeRozan’s mid-range game and Westbrook’s energy provide Sacramento’s best scoring/creation, but they face a deeper, more athletic Houston group missing only rotation pieces.
- Overall edge: Rockets in every major category—size, athleticism, defense, and depth—especially at home.
Series History
All-time, the Rockets lead the Kings 142-103 in regular-season matchups. This season (2025-26): Kings lead the season series 2-1 (wins on Jan. 11 at home 111-98 and Dec. 21 in OT 125-124; loss on Dec. 3 at Houston 95-121). Recent trends favor the home team here: Rockets are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games vs. Sacramento. Kings are just 5-1 SU in their last 6 vs. Houston overall (many at home), but their 1-9 last-10 road SU record and current absences tilt this heavily toward Houston.
Betting Trends
Key Trends:
- Kings: 1-16 SU last 17 overall; 1-9 SU last 10 road; OVER in 6 of last 9; 1-4 ATS last 5 road vs. Houston.
- Rockets: 12-6 SU last 18; 4-1 ATS last 5 home vs. Sacramento; UNDER in 4 of last 5 and 11 of last 12 home; strong vs. weak Western teams.
- Power rankings: Rockets ~12th, Kings ~27th.
Game Odds
Sacramento Kings 222.5
Houston Rockets – 15.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Tuesday, February 24, 2026
