Houston @ Sacramento preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 9, 2017 ) Houston 135, Sacramento 128

The Houston Rockets rallied for an impressive season-opening victory and now look to avoid a letdown when they visit the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday. Houston finished Tuesday's opener on a 10-3 run to record a stunning 122-121 win over defending champion Golden State, a team with which the Rockets are aiming to contend this season.

Houston featured a balanced attack with six players scoring in double digits, including two reserves with 20 or more points, in the statement road victory over the Warriors. "We got some dogs on this team, man," Houston star guard James Harden said during a postgame television interview. "We're versatile, probably the most versatile team since I've been in Houston. We've got a chance." Sacramento has missed the playoffs in 11 consecutive seasons - even having a star in the now-departed DeMarcus Cousins couldn't end the drought - and brought in former Memphis standout Zach Randolph to add a veteran presence. "We've got a young team and we've got a bunch of great young guys and older guys who are going to come out and play hard every single night," Randolph, who is questionable after oral surgery, told reporters. "And it's going to be exciting and we're going to leave it all on the court."

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

ABOUT THE ROCKETS (1-0): Point guard Chris Paul recorded 11 assists in his Houston debut but was just 2-of-9 shooting for four points before sitting out the final 4:47 as Harden stated he is battling knee soreness. Harden played with the ball in his hands most of last season, when he was runner-up in the NBA MVP balloting, but meshed with Paul against the Warriors as he contributed 27 points and 10 assists. Backup guard Eric Gordon (24 points) and backup forward P.J. Tucker (20) provided firepower off the bench, and the Rockets were fresher in the fourth quarter as they outscored Golden State 34-20.

ABOUT THE KINGS (2016-17: 32-50): The 36-year-old Randolph played under current Kings coach Dave Joerger for three seasons in Memphis, and he and 40-year-old swingman Vince Carter - who also played in Memphis - are expected to provide some much-needed leadership to a club that too often lacked it during the Cousins' era. Veteran point guard George Hill also was added, and the 31-year-old might not be at full strength for the opener after recently suffering a groin injury. First-round pick De'Aaron Fox will get increased time if Hill is hindered, while shooting guard Buddy Hield aims to follow up his solid showing - 15.1 average in 25 games - after being the main acquisition in the deal that sent Cousins to New Orleans.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Rockets went 4-0 against the Kings last season and have emerged victorious in 12 of the last 13 meetings.

2. Houston, which set the NBA record for 3-pointers in a season (1,181) in 2016-17, was 15-of-41 from long range against the Warriors.

3. Sacramento SG Bogdan Bogdanovic (ankle) will sit out what would've been his NBA debut - the 25-year-old Serbian was an All-EuroLeague first-team selection last season.

PREDICTION: Rockets 116, Kings 113