After struggling for playing time and the coach's confidence in Portland for most of his first three seasons, the point guard was traded to Sacramento on draft night in June. And considering the Kings were the worst team in the league last season, it was a fair assumption that he would experience a welcome change in the new city.

But Rodriguez played in just five of the first nine games and averaged 7.2 minutes when he did play. In the Kings' first 12 games, Rodriguez scored a combined 24 points and never scored in double digits.

Sunday night, however, Rodriguez scored a career-high 24 points, had five assists and no turnovers in a win over New Orleans at Arco Arena. It continued a four-game stretch in which Rodriguez's role has steadily increased.

He is now being called on by Kings coach Paul Westphal as a third point guard, but not in the traditional sense. Westphal has been using a lineup including Rodriguez, Beno Udrih and Tyreke Evans that has allowed Rodriguez to stay in the mix. And lately, he has made the most of it.

"Sergio has just been playing better and better all the time," Westphal said. "For a while there, we were trying to figure out a way to get him into the game."

KINGS 112, HORNETS 96: The Kings won their third straight game and returned to the .500 mark (8-8) for the second time this season. The Kings did much of their offensive damage from beyond the arc, hitting 9 of 18 three-pointers.