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Rockets down Kings in OT

Mar 27, 2012 - 4:47 AM Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Patrick Patterson's career-high 24 point effort included 14 in the fourth quarter and overtime as the Rockets overcame a 16- point deficit to defeat the Kings, 113-106, on Monday.

Luis Scola recorded 18 points and 14 rebounds, Chandler Parsons and Courtney Lee scored 16 points apiece and Goran Dragic contributed 14 points and 10 assists before leaving in the overtime session with an apparent ankle injury.

Earl Boykins replaced Dragic and promptly hit four critical free-throws down the stretch in his 2012 debut. Houston signed the 12-year NBA veteran, who finished with 10 points and five assists, to a 10-day contract earlier Monday.

"They just told be just be prepared to play to play tonight, and that's what I did before the game," said Boykins. "And I'm just glad that we were able to get the win. That was the big thing."

The Rockets have won three of four and kept pace with Denver and Utah, which both won earlier, in the race for the final two spots in the Western Conference.

DeMarcus Cousins netted a career-high 38 points to go with 14 boards and Marcus Thornton donated 27 points for Sacramento, which has dropped its last three.

Down 29-17 after one, the Rockets slowly chipped away, trailing 51-42 at halftime and just 72-71 entering the fourth quarter.

Patterson put back his own miss late in the fourth for a 91-90 Rockets lead, their first since it was 2-0.

The clubs traded the lead a few times before Patterson accepted a pass from Dragic at the top of the key and knocked down the 22-footer to tie it at 99 with 8.3 seconds in the stanza, where it would remain until the extra session.

Parsons opened the scoring in overtime with a three-pointer and Patterson responded to Tyreke Evans' running layup with one of his own before Dragic knocked down a jumper for a five-point Rockets advantage.

The Kings got back to within three on another Evans basket a bit later but came no closer, as Boykins followed with four consecutive makes from the charity stripe to put the game away.

"They're playing great, they're playing hard all the time, but it's just a matter of conquering a a two-minute spurt," said Kings head coach Keith Smart. "I think we'll be okay,"

Game Notes

Houston center Marcus Camby left in the fourth quarter with a wrist injury. His status is uncertain...Evans finished with 12 points and a career-high six steals...The Rockets' final advantage, at seven points, was their largest of the game.