As the Houston Rockets and Sacramento Kings square off tonight at the Golden 1 Center, fans will have multiple ways to catch the action. But this matchup carries more weight than a routine regular-season game, with both teams desperate to shift momentum as the calendar turns toward Christmas.

Houston arrives in Sacramento in the middle of a volatile road swing. After stumbling in New Orleans, the Rockets were pushed to the brink in a 128–125 overtime loss to Denver, but responded with a statement win in the rematch. That bounce-back effort now sets the tone for the next leg of their trip—and whether it remains productive or starts to unravel.

The Kings, meanwhile, view this game as a lifeline. Riding a five-game losing streak, Sacramento is searching for the kind of reset New Orleans found against Houston earlier in the week. With urgency mounting and little margin for error, tonight’s contest shapes up as a pressure-packed test for both sides—one that could define the short-term direction of their seasons.

NBA Games on December 21, 2025

How to watch Houston Rockets vs. Sacramento Kings

Venue: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento
Time: 10 p.m. EST
Streaming: Fubo, Peacock
TV: Space City Home Network, NBC Sports California

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What to look out for in Rockets vs Kings

Dorian Finney-Smith joins Fred Van Vleet on the Rockets’ injury list with a hurt ankle tonight. But Tari Eason, who has been sidelined since November 14, is finally making his return tonight, confirmed by Ime Udoka.

The Kings will be without Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis. The verdict is still pending on Drew Eubanks.

However, the Rockets will still bring the star power. Alperen Sengun has been putting up impressive numbers, averaging 23 points, 7 assists, and 9.3 rebounds per game, while shooting 49.4% from the floor. He’s going to join Kevin Durant, who’s had two back-to-back 30+ points games and a 25-point outing against Denver this week.

They also have Amen Thompson averaging 17.5 points, 5.2 assists and 7.2 rebounds per game. And after barely beating the Nuggets 101-115 in their second matchup of the month, KD is not in a celebratory mood.

“I’m not celebrating like it’s the championship, but we (had) lost two in a row. We wanted to win,” Durant said yesterday, and he’s going to carry that forward into tonight’s game.

Before KD, Houston was 0-3 against the Kings in the 2024-25 season. This year, the Kings’ wins have been few and far between.

Sacramento’s suffering from the 3-point range, 19.4%. Russell Westbrook, Keegan Murray and DeMar DeRozan are making zero shots from the arc as recently as yesterday.

Without Sabonis, the team has lost 11 games so far. And their star center is going to be out for an additional four to five weeks.

The Kings aren’t looking so great right now. But they’re looking at the Rockets to redeem their down-and-out streak.