Austin Rivers, Rockets nilaglag ang Kings

UMISKOR si Austin Rivers ng career-high 41 points off the bench upang akayin ang Houston Rockets sa 129-112 tagumpay laban sa malamyang Sacramento Kings kahapon sa Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
“He’s been playing well and obviously, tonight was his night,” wika ni coach Mike D’Antoni. “He played great.”
Pumukol si Rivers ng anim na 3-pointers para sa Houston na umangat sa 4-1 sa Disney sa gabi na ang Rockets ay naglaro ng dalawang sunod-sunod na wala si Russel Westbrook, na nalamog ang kanang braso.
“I believe I’m a premier scorer. That’s just how I feel,” sambit ni Rivers. “But I’m on a team where that’s not required of me. Every night I play with the best scorer in the NBA, and I play with one of the other best scorers too with James (Harden) and Russ. So you’ve got to play a role and buy in. That’s what winning basketball is.”
Nagdagdag si Har­den ng 32 points, eight rebounds at seven assists para sa Houston.
Bumagsak ang Kings sa 1-5 sa bubble matapos masibak sa playoff nitong Linggo nang gibain ng Portland ang 76ers, 14 taon nang tagtuyot sa playoff ang Sacramento, pinakamahabang active streak sa NBA.
“We have to understand and change our mindset as far as what it takes to win,” Tugon ni Sacramento coach Luke Walton. “The main thing I hope we take from this whole bubble experience is learning that lesson firsthand and playing these type of games night in and night out.”
De’Aaron Fox tumipa ng 26 points para sa Kings.
Susunod na makakaharap ng Rockets ang San Antonio sa Martes Miyerkules sa Pilipinas, habang ang Kings makakasagupa ang New Orleans.