Jalen Green scored a game-high 23 points while Alperen Sengun posted a double-double as the Houston Rockets dismantled the visiting Sacramento Kings 122-97 on Monday.

Green needed only nine shot attempts to pace the Rockets in scoring, doing most of this damage at the free-throw line, where he finished 10 of 12. Sengun, meanwhile, was the offensive linchpin, pairing a career-high 12 assists with 17 points to help Houston to its third consecutive victory and second in as many games against the Kings, who were without guard De'Aaron Fox (ankle) for a third consecutive game.

Sengun added eight rebounds while outplaying his counterpart, Kings center Domantas Sabonis, who totaled eight points, eight rebounds and five assists over 30 minutes.

The Rockets built a double-digit lead entering the second quarter by virtue of their aggression. Houston made 10 of 11 free throws in the opening period with Green going 5 of 5 from the line en route to 10 points. The Kings did not attempt a free throw in the first, and when Malik Monk -- who led Sacramento in scoring off the bench in a 107-89 loss at Houston on Saturday -- picked up his third foul early in the second quarter, the bottom immediately fell out on the Kings' offense.

Green drilled two 3-pointers early in the second, and when Aaron Holiday turned a steal into a layup and three-point play, the Rockets stretched their lead to 41-27 at the 9:38 mark. Soon thereafter, the Rockets delivered the knockout blow, turning a 17-2 run into a 24-point cushion.

The rally featured nifty passing, with Fred VanVleet feeding Jae'Sean Tate for an open corner trey before Sengun found Jeff Green cutting to the basket for an uncontested layup. The only basket Sacramento made during that stretch was a flailing shot by Harrison Barnes that just beat the shot clock, and the close of the first half proved to be a microcosm for the Kings' effort.

With the second period winding down, Sacramento's Colby Jones missed a point-blank shot at the rim. Just prior to the halftime buzzer, VanVleet drilled a running 29-footer and Houston led 67-42 at the break.

The Rockets scored the opening six points of the second half and led by as many as 40 in the fourth quarter.

Kevin Huerter scored 13 points for the Kings while Keegan Murray added 12.

Holiday tallied 13 points on 6-of-6 shooting off the Houston bench.

--Field Level Media