Rockets 129, Kings 103: James Harden scored a season-best 43 points and recorded eight assists and three steals despite not playing the fourth quarter as Houston annihilated host Sacramento.

Harden made 6-of-9 3-point attempts and scored the Rockets’ final 18 points of a 42-point opening quarter while falling three points shy of his career high. Dwight Howard added 20 points and 11 rebounds as Houston won for the 10th time in its last 11 games.

Rudy Gay scored 25 points and Ben McLemore had 15 for the Kings, who trailed by 25 points after the first quarter. DeMarcus Cousins had 16 points in 20 minutes before earning an ejection due to two third-quarter technical fouls.

Harden made two 3-pointers and converted two three-point plays during his torrid first-quarter stretch. He had 30 points as the Rockets led by 69-51 at the break and added 13 more in the third quarter before calling it a night.

The Rockets shot 56.9 percent from the field and 11-of-22 from 3-point range while improving to 3-1 on a five-game road swing. Houston is 17-11 on the road entering Wednesday’s visit to the Los Angeles Clippers.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The Rockets were 36-of-42 from the free-throw line while Sacramento was 26-of-31. … Cousins drew his first technical after fouling Howard with 10:11 left in the third quarter and received his second less than two minutes later. … Harden joins Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler as the only Houston players to have at least 40 points, eight assists and three steals in the same game over the past 25 years.