The Houston Rockets opened their two-game homestand with an impressive 121-95 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday evening, where they maximized their size advantage.
They only shot 5-for-16 from three-point land. However, the Houston Rockets compensated by outscoring the Sacramento Kings 78-46 in the shaded area, an area Kevin Durant pointed out during a postgame interview.
“The paint was open, so we’d rather get those efficient paint shots,” Durant stated via Ben DuBose of the Rockets Wire. “We had (almost) 80 points in the paint! That’s just a source of good offense. I know it’s a 3-point shooting league… but if you see things opening up that easily and you can get layups, then why chuck threes?”
Alperen Sengun led the Houston Rockets with 28 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, and four steals on 11-for-20 shooting from the field. Kevin Durant, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., and Steven Adams contributed 24, 20, 14, and 11 points.
Houston Rockets News: Alperen Sengun gives Steven Adams his flowers
The Houston Rockets dominated the paint against the Sacramento Kings with Steven Adams, who was listed as questionable before the game. Overall, he ultimately played well on both ends in 18 minutes.
“Man, he’s a monster. I’m the center of this team, and any center in the league wouldn’t be happy signing another good center, you feel me?” Sengun said of Adams via Michael Shapiro of the Houston Chronicle.
“This summer, when they signed Steven, I was so happy,” he continued. “You see, a 32-year-old man out there is working every day, it pushes everybody else, too.”
