Though the young Houston Rockets have lost eight straight games and 13 of 14 overall, they have shown flashes in recent days. They built a 20-point lead early in Sunday’s loss to Minnesota, and they led going to the fourth quarter on Wednesday in Sacramento.
On Friday, with an immediate road rematch looming versus the Kings, the question is whether Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, and the rest of the Rockets can finally put together a full 48 minutes.
The Rockets will be short-handed. Starting point guard Kevin Porter Jr. (left foot contusion) is set to miss just his second game of the season. That could mean running more offense through Sengun, who had higher usage after Porter’s early exit Wednesday while posting his first career triple-double.
With those numbers, the 20-year-old Turkish big man became the youngest player in Rockets history to accomplish the feat, as well as the youngest center in NBA history to do so.
“We played a different offense because when Scoot (Porter) is in the game, our offense is a little bit different,” Sengun said, as relayed by Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle. “And I knew after (he went out), I’m gonna touch the ball more because everything is changed.”
20-year-old ALPEREN SENGUN is the youngest center in NBA history with a triple-double & the first @HoustonRockets center with a triple-double since Dream in 1997.
10 PTS | 10 AST | 10 REB in 28 MINSpic.twitter.com/gtPmlrPoam
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) January 12, 2023
But Sengun’s gaudy numbers, which seemed to spark increased ball movement and a faster pace of play, still weren’t enough to win.
Led by rising stars De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis, the Kings should again be substantial betting favorites versus Houston as they seek to end their NBA-leading postseason drought, which dates to the 2006 Western Conference playoffs.