The Sacramento Kings pay a visit to the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center on Saturday night.

Sacramento Kings

The Sacramento Kings have split their first four games and they will be hoping to bounce back after coming up painfully short to the Warriors in a 102-101 road loss on Wednesday. Domantas Sabonis led the team with 23 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists, Malik Monk added 16 points off the bench while Harrison Barnes chipped in with 14 points. As a team, the Kings shot just 40 percent from the field and 11 of 35 from the 3-point line as they worked hard to take a 3-point lead late in the fourth quarter, but they scored just two points in the final 1:11 to allow the Warriors to steal the game in the final second thanks to a game-winning shot from Klay Thompson.

Sacramento Kings Team Facts

• The Kings have won each of their last eight night games against the Rockets.
• The Kings have covered the spread in nine of their last 10 games as favorites following a loss.
• Each of the Kings’ last six night games at Toyota Center have gone OVER the total points line.

Houston Rockets 

Meanwhile, the Houston Rockets kicked off their season with three losses in a row, but they will be feeling much better after earning their first victory with a 128-119 home win over the Hornets on Wednesday. Fred VanVleet led the team with 22 points and 11 assists, Jalen Green led the scoring with 23 points, Dillon Brooks scored 20 points with five assists and five steals while Alperen Sengun chipped in with 19 points, seven rebounds and four assists. As a team, the Rockets shot 52 percent from the field and a sizzling 21 of 37 from the 3-point line as they stormed out of the gates with 39 points in the first quarter, before they pulled away in the fourth quarter where they exlpoded for 42 points. 

Houston Rockets Team Facts

• The Rockets have lost 10 of their last 11 games against Pacific Division opponents.
• The favorites have covered the spread in each of the Rockets’ last five games.
• Each of the last seven night games between the Kings and Rockets have gone OVER the total points line.

Matchup/League Facts

• The Rockets rank 30th in the league for rebounds per game this season (38.5).
• The Rockets ranks 30th in the league for rebound percentage this season (44.4%).
• The Kings rank 1st in the league for field goal attempts per game this season (97.0).
• The Kings rank 1st in the league for Q1 win percentage this season (100.0%).

Peter’s Pick

The Kings are still missing De’Aaron Fox and Trey Lyles, while the Rockets are still without Tari Eason and Victor Oladipo. The Kings have yet to really get going this season, but they were so close to beating the in-form Warriors in their last outing, so I like their chances against a Rockets team who were winless before they beat the lowly Hornets. The Rockets have shown signs of improvement in their last game, but the Kings are still the better team right now and I like them at the short line.