The Sacramento Kings will try to snap a three-game losing streak when they face the Houston Rockets in the first game of a three-game road trip Wednesday at Toyota Center.
That will be a tall task with Domantas Sabonis still sidelined due to injury and other key players in question against one of the top teams in the Western Conference.
The Kings (5-16) have lost three in a row and 11 of their last 13. They posted back-to-back wins over the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves before losing to the Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz and Memphis Grizzlies.
The Rockets (13-5) had won three in a row and eight of nine before suffering a 133-125 loss to Utah on Monday. Houston is third in the Western Conference despite the absences of Tari Eason, who is expected to miss at least two more weeks with a right oblique strain, and Fred VanVleet, who could be sidelined all season with a torn ACL.
Here are three keys to Wednesday’s game.
Sacramento’s injuries
The Kings haven’t been at full strength for a single game this season. Keegan Murray missed the first 15 games with an ulnar collateral ligament tear in his left thumb. Sabonis has missed the last six with a partially torn meniscus in his left knee.
Sacramento has two other key players listed on the injury report for Wednesday’s game against the Rockets. Malik Monk is probable despite dealing with right shoulder soreness. Dennis Schroder is considered questionable after missing the past three games with a right hip flexor strain.
Bigger in Texas
They say everything is bigger in Texas. Houston’s size is one of the many problems the Rockets will present.
The Rockets have Amen Thompson (6-foot-7), Kevin Durant (6-11), Jabari Smith Jr. (6-11) and Alperen Sengun (6-11) in the starting lineup with the likes of Steven Adams (6-11) and Clint Capela (6-1) coming off the bench. Houston leads the league by wide margins in offensive rebounds (16.6) and total rebounds (49.2).
Dealing with KD
The Kings will have to come up with a plan for Durant if they’re going to have any chance of taking down the Rockets.
Houston acquired the 15-time All-Star from the Phoenix Suns in a seven-team trade over the summer. Durant is averaging 25.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.1 steals while shooting 48.9% from the field and 37.7% from 3-point range.
Kings at Rockets
When: 5 p.m.
Where: Toyota Center
TV: NBC Sports California
Radio: Sactown Sports 1140
Odds: Rockets -15.5
Over/under: 230.5
Injury report
Kings: PROBABLE — Malik Monk (shoulder). QUESTIONABLE — Dennis Schroder (hip). OUT — Dylan Cardwell (G League); Daeqwon Plowden (G League); Domantas Sabonis (knee); Isaiah Stevens (G League).
Rockets: QUESTIONABLE — Steven Adams (ankle). OUT — Isaiah Crawford (G League); Tari Eason (oblique), Dorian Finney-Smith (ankle), Fred VanVleet (ACL).
This story was originally published December 3, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
Related Stories from Sacramento Bee
Jason Anderson
The Sacramento Bee
Jason Anderson is The Sacramento Bee’s Kings beat writer. He is a Sacramento native and a graduate of Fresno State, where he studied journalism and college basketball under the late Jerry Tarkanian.
