Kings 110, Rockets 106: Rudy Gay scored 25 points and DeMarcus Cousins came up big down the stretch as visiting Sacramento edged Houston.

Cousins collected 17 points and 16 rebounds and had the go-ahead basket and a key steal in the final minute as Sacramento wrapped up December with a 6-10 mark for the month. Isaiah Thomas chipped in 17 points and 10 assists and Marcus Thornton added 15 points off the bench for Sacramento.

James Harden recorded season highs of 38 points and 10 rebounds but turned the ball over twice in the final minute as the Rockets suffered their second straight loss. Dwight Howard contributed 15 points and eight boards while Terrence Jones chipped in 12 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks for Houston.

The Kings knotted it at 90 on Jimmer Fredette’s free throws with 6:58 left before Harden completed a three-point play and buried one from beyond the arc during an 8-2 burst. Sacramento went back on top on Cousins’ basket with 56 seconds left before the center stole the ball from Harden and found Ben McLemore for a layup and a 107-104 lead with 38 ticks remaining, and Harden’s offensive foul led to Thomas’ clinching free throw.

The Kings closed the second quarter with a 7-2 run to take a 58-52 lead into the break but Harden got hot in the third quarter, pouring in 16 points in the frame. The Rockets outscored Sacramento 34-22 in the period to take a six-point lead into the fourth.

PREDICTION: The Rockets struggled to 21-of-33 from the free-throw line as Howard and Chandler Parsons combined to miss 10 of their 17 attempts. … Houston F Greg Smith (knee) missed his sixth straight game but is hoping to return by Friday. … Cousins has recorded five straight double-doubles.