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The Sacramento Kings had Wednesday’s game against the Houston Rockets in?good hands late; unfortunately for them, the Rockets’ Steve Novak drained a 3-pointer with 2 seconds left in the game, pushing the Rockets past the Kings 89-87 at Toyota Center.

Houston led after one quarter 35-20, the most points they have scored in one quarter this season; but they wouldn’t score? for nearly 2 1/2 minutes in the second quarter yet maintained a safe lead because Sacramento managed only 4 points during that span themselves.? The Rockets’ scoring drought ended when Sacramento’s Brad Miller was whistled for a technical foul for complaining to the refs; Yao Ming would make 1 of 2 free throws that pushed the Rockets’ lead to 50-33 with less than 4 minutes left in the first half.? Houston would go into their locker room with a 52-39 lead.

Sacramento wouldn’t get any closer in the third quarter as the Rockets’ Shane Battier drained a 3? to stretch Houston’s lead to 59-49; turnovers and several missed shots by the Kings after that and 2 consecutive treys by Houston’s Rafer Alston gave Houston a 75-56 edge late in the quarter.? The Kings trailed by 18 at the end of the third, but started a 15-1 run, capped by a 3-pointer by Miller to get to within 80-76 midway through the fourth quarter.

Ming scored 5 for Houston over the next 2 minutes, but the Kings’ Ron Artest?cut the Rockets’ lead to 86-83 with 2 minutes remaining; Artest missed 2 free throws before hitting a jumper to get to within a point with 58 seconds left.? Artest’s jumper after a steal by Justin Williams?gave the Kings an 87-86 lead with 24 ticks on the clock – their first lead since very early in the first quarter (8-7).? But much to the disappointment of the Kings, the aforementioned Novak drained a trey with 2 seconds to go, sealing the win for Houston; the 3-pointer were the only points scored by Novak.

Houston was led by Ming with 25 points, 14 rebounds, an assist and 3 blocked shots; Alston scored 23 – including 3 treys – with a rebound, 7 assists and a steal, while Battier?added 15, including?three 3-pointers, with 3 rebounds, 3 assists and a steal.? Sacramento’s leading scorer was?Artest with 30 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals; Mike Bibby scored 14 with a rebound, 4 assists and a steal.? Williams, while scoring only 4 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, had 5 steals?and blocked a shot.? Houston (32-20) doesn’t play again until next Tuesday, when they travel to Cleveland to face the Cavaliers; Sacramento (23-28), after the All-Star break, flies to Portland to take on the Portland Trail Blazers – also next Tuesday.??