Alperen Sengun scored the NBA’s first ball of 2026 after a sweet move
Alperen Sengun he secured the NBA’s first points in 2026 during Houston The Rockets match against the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday night.
Sengun is in his fifth season in the league with the Rockets. He broke through the ranks as one of the top centers, lifting Houston back into playoff contention. This season, he hopes to put them in contention for the title.
Houston has enjoyed a run through part of this season in 2025, going 20-10 in its 30 contests. Sengun wanted to help set the tone for the start of the new year, starting with your first bucket against Brooklyn. He got the ball inside the arc as he went to work, bullying his way into the paint for a basket at the rim.
As Alperen Sengun, the Rockets played against the Nets
Alperen Sengun was solid down the stretch as he led the Rockets to an easy 120-96 win over the Nets to kick off 2026.
The game started tight as Houston only led 26-20 after the first quarter. Despite this, the Rockets continued to add to their lead as they exploded in the third quarter with a 37-25 run, something Brooklyn never recovered from.
Six players scored in double figures for Houston in the win, including Sengun. He finished with 20 points, six rebounds, six assists, two steals and a block. He shot 8 of 12 from the field and 4 of 6 from the free throw line. Amen Thompson led the team in scoring with 23 points and four rebounds. Next is Kevin Durant with 22 points and 11 assists, Tarry Eason had 15 points and nine rebounds, Jabari Smith Jr. had 14 points and six rebounds, while Reed Shepard scored 14 points and three blocks.
Houston improved to a 21-10 record on the season, holding fourth place in the Western Conference standings. They are one game above the Los Angeles Lakers and 1.5 games above the Minnesota Timberwolves. However, they trail the Denver Nuggets by one game and the San Antonio Spurs by two games.
With four straight wins, the Rockets will be looking forward to their next game. They remain on the road as they face the Dallas Mavericks on January 3rd at 8:30pm ET.
2026-01-02 02:49:00
