On Saturday night, the Houston Rockets faced a setback when All-Star center Alperen Sengun exited just 64 seconds into their 110-104 road loss to the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center. Sengun landed awkwardly while contesting a rebound, rolling his right ankle and immediately limping to the bench. Houston subsequently ruled him out for the remainder of the game.
The injury came at a challenging time for the Rockets, who were already without backup center Steven Adams due to a right ankle sprain, leaving Clint Capela as the only available big man. Sengun, who had just returned from a calf strain, is in the midst of a career season, averaging 21.8 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 6.5 assists across 28 games while shooting 51.2% from the field, 31.7% from three-point range, and 73.4% at the free-throw line. The Turkish star's early departure forced Houston to adjust quickly, relying on Kevin Durant, Tari Eason, and Amen Thompson to carry the load.
Despite the Rockets jumping to an early 20-9 lead behind Durant’s 14 points in the first quarter, Dallas recovered with efficient offense in the second period. The Mavericks shot 59% from the field in the quarter (13-of-22), while Houston managed only 7-of-28. Anthony Davis owned the paint, recording 26 points, 12 rebounds, and five blocks, including a crucial swat against Eason that led to a transition 3-pointer by Klay Thompson, giving Dallas an 11-point advantage late.
The Mavericks also benefited from Max Christie’s performance, who scored 24 points on 10-of-13 shooting, including four of six from three-point range. Christie’s late dunk with just over a minute remaining ensured Dallas's victory.
The Rockets' shooting woes were evident, as Houston converted just 38.7% of their shots and made only 10 of 41 three-point attempts, whereas the Mavericks shot 55% overall and leveraged a 66-54 advantage in points in the paint. The Rockets had success on the offensive boards, collecting 17 offensive rebounds to Dallas’ two and converting all 15 second-chance opportunities.
Durant led Houston with 34 points and seven assists, fighting through four fouls in the second half. Jabari Smith Jr. struggled with just seven points on 2-of-13 shooting.
The loss ended the Rockets' four-game winning streak. Houston will look to regroup ahead of Monday’s home matchup against the Phoenix Suns, while awaiting clarity on Sengun’s injury.
