By Joel Bartilotta
RotoWire
The Houston Rockets used an early fourth-quarter run to turn a tight game into a blowout Sunday, defeating the Sacramento Kings, 85-73, at the Las Vegas Summer League at Thomas and Mack Center.
A one-point Houston lead, 57-56, with less than a minute to play in the third quarter turned into a 17-point lead, 73-56, with 4:31 left in the fourth thanks to a 16-0 Rockets run. Houston led by as many as 19 points, as it controlled most aspects of the game. The Rockets won the rebounding battle, 47-37, scored more points in the paint, 42-30, scored more fastbreak points, 20-9, and had 18 assists to the Kings’ 12.
Sam Dekker returned from a leg injury suffered in the last game to score a team-high 19 points with seven rebounds to lead Houston (1-1). Former Louisville star Montrezl Harrell finished with 14 points, six rebounds and three assists, and K.J. McDaniels had 10 points, three steals and three blocks. Kyle Wjilter scored 11 off the bench.
Malachi Richardson totaled 20 points and seven rebounds for the Kings (0-2). David Stockton had 14 points, five assists and three steals, and Willie Cauley-Stein finished with 11 points and six rebounds, despite going 3-for-11 from the field.
Both teams play Monday, as the Rockets face D-League Select and the Kings take on the New Orleans Pelicans.
