SACRAMENTO - Courtney Lee paced six Rockets in double figures with 25 points, and Houston took care of the Sacramento Kings, 104-87, at Power Balance Pavilion.
Talib Zanna scored 14 points and grabbed eight rebounds off the bench, as Pittsburgh knotted the best-of-three College Basketball Invitational championship series with a 57-53 victory over Washington State.
The Washington State Cougars attempt to become the third Pac-12 Conference team in the five-year history of the College Basketball Invitational to be crowned tournament champions when they square off with the Pittsburgh Panthers tonight at the Petersen Events Center.
Lone Star State rivals will jockey for playoff position Tuesday when the reigning NBA champion Dallas Mavericks aim for their second win over the Houston Rockets in four days.
HOUSTON - 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.
The suddenly surging Phoenix Suns had a few days to rest after sweeping a back-to-back-to-back series and will get to work tonight versus the Houston Rockets at US Airways Center.