The Houston Rockets acquired Kevin Durant to accelerate their championship contention timetable, and thus far, that plan is working out swimmingly. They know they can trust the future Hall of Famer to produce when healthy, but what can truly put the franchise over the top is if Alperen Sengun crosses into undeniable superstardom this season. He is definitely looking the part through the first quarter of the campaign. Fans consistently expect the Turkish center to put on a show.
He will not be able to do that on Saturday, however. Sengun will not suit up for tonight's road game versus the Dallas Mavericks, via the Underdog NBA X account. The 2024 All-Star missed Friday's 117-98 win over the Phoenix Sun because of an illness and will sit out again for the same reason. Houston should have the talent to get by without him, but every game counts in the crowded Western Conference.
While the near-invincible Thunder (22-1) hold a solid grasp on first place, there are just two games separating second place from sixth. The Rockets (15-5) could quickly find themselves in the middle of the pack if they lose a couple in a row. Therefore, fans are interested to see if this Sengun-less squad will leave American Airlines Center with a W.
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Will Rockets take care of business without Alperen Sengun?
The 23-year-old big man was initially listed as doubtful before being ruled out for Houston's Lone Star State showdown with Dallas, per the NBA injury report. Steven Adams is out with right ankle tendinopathy, so the Rockets' frontcourt is quite thin. Though, the Mavericks will also be shorthanded in the low-post area. Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II are both inactive. Klay Thompson is also unavailable.
If the Rockets were going to be sans Sengun, this could be the right time for it. Anthony Davis and Cooper Flag are certainly dangerous, however. Houston head coach Ime Udoka will look to Durant, Amen Thompson and a capable supporting cast to lift the squad to victory.
Alperen Sengun will hopefully feel good as new by Monday. He has a few days to get right before the Rockets clash with the Clippers on Thursday. No. 28 is posting 23.1 points, 9.1 rebounds, 7.1 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.0 block per contest.
