Alperen Sengun does his best Stephen Curry impression against OKC
The Houston Rockets lost a tough one against the Oklahoma City Thunder, 125-124, in double overtime at the Pike Center on Tuesday to open the new season on a stunning note.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander coolly made two free throws with just 2.3 seconds left in the second overtime period to win the game for the Thunder. The Rockets had one last chance to steal the win, but Jabari Smith Jr. missed his jumper.
If it’s any consolation, Alperen Sengun had a monstrous performance for Houston. He finished with a game-high 39 points on 12-of-24 shooting with 11 rebounds, seven assists, two steals and a block.
He also showed his much improved external shootingdrain 5-of-8 triples.
Sengun shot just 1.2 3-pointers per game last season, sinking just 23.3% of his attempts, the lowest mark of his career. But he seems to have gotten more comfortable with his outside touch, which should be scary for opponents.
The 23-year-old center had a productive summer, leads Turkey to the EuroBasket finalwhere they lost to Germany. His performance in the tournament, including outplaying NBA MVP Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo, showed that he has developed into a better player at such a young age.
Even with the addition of Kevin Durant, who scored 23 points in his Houston debut, Sengun will be the Rockets’ focal point. If the former All-Star continues to shoot consistently from long range, the Rockets will definitely be a problem.
Houston will return to action on Friday against the Detroit Pistons.
2025-10-22 03:41:00
