Houston @ Sacramento preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 9, 2019 ) Sacramento 119, Houston 118

The Houston Rockets are winners of three in a row and took the first two of a four-game trip as their backcourt MVP duo took turns taking over. The Rockets will try to clinch a winning road trip when they visit the Sacramento Kings on Monday.

Russell Westbrook scored 40 points to lead the way in a 122-117 victory at the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday before James Harden broke out of a slump with 47 points in Saturday's 139-125 victory at Houston. That "slump" consistent of two straight games scoring 28 points for Harden, who leads the NBA in scoring at an average of 38.8 points and has yet to go three games in a row without reaching the 30-point mark this season. The Kings seemed to be on their way to .500 with wins in four of five games - including a 119-118 victory at Houston on Dec. 9 - but took a step back while dropping the final three of a four-game road trip. Nemanja Bjelica buried a 3-pointer at the buzzer in that victory over the Rockets but is 3-of-15 from beyond the arc during the three-game slide.

TV: 10 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet Southwest (Houston), NBCS California (Sacramento)

ABOUT THE ROCKETS (20-9): Houston, which finishes out the road trip on Christmas Day at Golden State, shot 58.6 percent from the floor in Saturday's win as Harden (15-of-27) and Westbrook (11-of-21) each enjoyed strong outings. Westbrook is picking his spots to be aggressive with his scoring while playing alongside Harden and scored 30 or more points in each of the last three games while attempting at least nine free throws in each of those contests. Westbrook averaged a triple-double in each of his last three seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder and is posting 23.8 points, eight rebounds and 7.2 assists in his first campaign in Houston.

ABOUT THE KINGS (12-17): Leading scorer Buddy Hield (20.6 points) is fighting through a shooting slump that saw him finish in single digits in scoring in each of the last two games. The Oklahoma product managed eight points on 3-of-18 shooting in Saturday's 119-115 setback at Memphis and is 11-of-46 from the floor during the three-game slide. Those three games coincide with the return of point guard De'Aaron Fox, who missed over a month with an ankle injury and is averaging 16.3 points over the last three contests.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Kings PF Marvin Bagley III collected 11 points and 11 rebounds on Saturday for his first double-double since Oct. 23.

2. Rockets C Clint Capela hauled in at least 15 rebounds in three of the last four games.

3. Sacramento's Dec. 9 win snapped a four-game losing streak in the series.

PREDICTION: Rockets 126, Kings 116