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Dec 5, 2015 - 6:35 AM Although James Harden scoring in bunches isn't news, the frequency at which he does it against the Sacramento Kings is pretty astounding.

Harden looks to guide the Houston Rockets to a seventh straight victory over visiting Sacramento and their fifth win in six games overall Saturday night.

Since Oklahoma City traded him to Houston before the 2012-13 season, Harden's average of 26.5 points ranks among the best in the league. He's averaging 32.3 over his last six and finished with 25, eight rebounds and nine assists in Friday's 100-96 win over Dallas.

"I'm just a playmaker," said Harden, who hit a jumper in the final seconds to close it out. "If I've got a shot, I shoot it. Or I make a pass."

He did a little of both the last time the Rockets (9-11) faced the Kings (7-13) on Nov. 6, scoring 43 points and dishing out 13 assists - one shy of matching a career high - in a 116-110 victory. The last time he faced the Kings at home on April 1, he set a career high with 51 points and tied a career best with eight 3-pointers in a 115-111 win.

Harden is averaging 46.0 points, shooting 53.8 percent and has hit 15 of 29 from long range over his last three in the series. His 34.0 average against Sacramento since joining the Rockets is his highest against any opponent he's faced more than six times.

His solid stretch has helped Houston win four of five and improve to 5-4 under interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff. The latest victory came without Dwight Howard, who got the night off for rest, but Trevor Ariza chipped in 18 points and Terrence Jones 17.

"We can't settle," Bickerstaff said. "We're not where we want to be."

Neither are the Kings, who have dropped three of four after falling 114-97 to Boston on Thursday in Mexico by shooting a season-worst 37.7 percent and committing 19 turnovers.

DeMarcus Cousins, who missed the first meeting with the Rockets because of an injury, scored 16 points but shot just 4 of 17, and his seven rebounds were a season low.

"I'm disappointed. I think we need to be more serious at the beginning of the games," coach George Karl said. "I do not know if (Thursday) it was the altitude or the tempo or Boston playing well, but they hit us hard at the start and we never recovered."

Rajon Rondo had eight assists before receiving a double technical and automatic ejection in the third. He's gone three games without reaching 10 assists after hitting double digits in 10 of his previous 11.

"It was a blow to our ability to mount a comeback, because he has been our engine this season," Karl said.

The good news is that Cousins, Rondo and Karl had a meeting before that game and discussed things openly. There have been reports of a rift between Cousins and Karl, and Rondo never has been hesitant to speak his mind. The three agreed they would meet regularly and all admitted to the meeting going well.

The bad news is that rookie Willie Cauley-Stein will be out for the next four to six weeks after dislocating his right index finger in the fourth quarter against Boston.

He'll miss his first game when the Kings try to beat the Rockets for the first time since Dec. 31, 2013. Omri Casspi and Darren Collison scored 22 points apiece for Sacramento in the matchup last month.