Alperen Sengun’s impressive 30-point performance, coupled with Fred VanVleet’s 21 points and 10 assists, led the Houston Rockets to a 112-101 victory over the Brooklyn Nets during Wednesday’s NBA action.
Sengun’s exceptional scoring streak continued, marking his seventh consecutive game with over 20 points. He showcased efficiency with 11-17 shooting from the field and excelled at the free-throw line, hitting 8 of 10 while also collecting eight rebounds.
Sengun highlighted his team’s trust in him, with the offense often playing through his isolations. VanVleet contributed significantly with his sharpshooting, hitting 6-8 three-pointers. Houston was formidable from beyond the arc, finishing 19-39 in three-point shooting.
“On offense, they trust me,” Sengun said. “They’re playing through me, a lot isolation, so I’m trying my best to score.”
The Nets are facing a challenging phase, suffering their fifth consecutive loss and 10th in the last 12 games, bringing their season record to 15-20. Nets coach Jacque Vaughn expressed his commitment to maintaining high standards and optimism for growth and improvement within the team.
“I’m going to continue to hold them to a standard,” Vaughn said. “They deserve that. This will make us better as a team. We’ll grow from this together, but the belief part of it has to be the first part of getting out of this hole.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Fred VanVleet, Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets, Brooklyn Nets Updates
Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson led the Nets with 15 points each, while Nic Claxton added a double-double of 12 points and 13 rebounds. Royce O’Neale also contributed 13 points coming off the bench.
The Rockets had a strong start, with VanVleet scoring 11 points in the first quarter, leading to a 26-22 advantage. Despite Houston’s turnovers in the second quarter, which Brooklyn capitalized on, Rockets coach Ime Udoka commended his team’s better handling in the second half.
“They had 14 points off those 12 (turnovers) in the first half and nine fast break points,” Udoka said. “We looked at that and said, ‘They scored 50, only, and if we take care of that, they’re in the low 30s,’ so did a much better job. Only three turnovers in the second half.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Fred VanVleet, Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets, Brooklyn Nets Updates
Houston’s dominance was particularly evident in the third quarter, outscoring the Nets 38-25. A significant 24-6 run, highlighted by Cam Whitmore’s performance off the bench, put the Rockets comfortably ahead.
Even without starters Dillon Brooks and Tari Eason, the Rockets improved their record to 17-15. Their next game is against the Minnesota Timberwolves, continuing their seven-game homestand. The Nets, aiming to bounce back, will host the Oklahoma City Thunder.
