Houston, TX— Alperen Sengun continued his impressive performance, scoring 27 points and grabbing 17 rebounds to lead the Houston Rockets to a 107-92 victory over the Washington Wizards on Monday night.
Sengun shot 12 of 19 from the field and recorded three blocks. He was supported by Jalen Green with 18 points, Amen Thompson with 13, and both Jabari Smith Jr. and Aaron Holiday contributing 11 points each.
With Fred VanVleet sidelined due to a hamstring injury, which coach Ime Udoka indicated is a day-to-day concern, rookie Reed Sheppard and Holiday stepped up with increased playing time. Sheppard tied his early career high with seven points in the game.
Washington welcomed back forward Kyle Kuzma, who had missed the previous five games due to a right groin strain. Kuzma led the Wizards with 18 points on 7-for-18 shooting in 24 minutes. Jordan Poole added 11 points but struggled with eight turnovers.
Houston maintained control throughout the game, leading 55-40 at halftime and never trailing after that.
The Rockets have now won four of their last five games, improving to 7-4, which marks their best start through 11 games since the 2019-20 season. Meanwhile, the Wizards have dropped five consecutive games.
Key Takeaways
Wizards: Washington struggled on the boards, being outrebounded 58-34. They have yet to win the rebounding battle in any of their nine games this season. Jonas Valanciunas was the team’s top rebounder with eight boards in 17 minutes off the bench, while rookie Alexandre Sarr grabbed six.
Rockets: Sengun’s back-to-back 20-point games mark the first time this season he has achieved this, a feat he regularly accomplished during his breakout year last season, where he averaged 21.1 points. His early involvement is crucial for Houston’s success.
Key Moment In The Game
The Rockets ignited a 10-0 run late in the second quarter, expanding a five-point lead to a 15-point advantage that they would not give up.
Key Stat
The Wizards had a tough time at the free-throw line, making only one of four attempts in the first half and finishing the game at 9 of 13, both marking season lows. In contrast, Houston shot 22 for 25 from the charity stripe.
Looking Ahead
On Wednesday night, the Wizards will visit San Antonio, while the Rockets are set to host the Clippers.
