When the situation suddenly became dire against the Washington Wizards early in the fourth quarter on Monday, the Houston Rockets regained stability by turning to their most reliable offensive option.
Houston center Alperen Sengun led the way in a 107-92 victory by continuing his dominance in the paint. After Washington cut a 16-point deficit to 86-80, Sengun scored on three consecutive possessions, quickly getting the Rockets back on track.
Sengun and the Rockets will host the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.
Sengun finished Houston’s second straight win with 27 points and 17 rebounds, marking his eighth double-double of the season. He shot 12-of-19 from the floor, continuing an efficient stretch of offensive production. Sengun has shot better than 50 percent in four of the past five games—all Houston wins—averaging 21.2 points on 57.7 percent shooting during that span.
The Rockets have developed scoring threats from the perimeter and by slashing to the rim during their extended rebuild. However, in Sengun, they have a traditional big man who thrives on the block, providing the Rockets with a sense of calm when shots aren’t falling and the game becomes frenetic.
Simply getting the ball to Sengun and letting him work has become a viable offensive strategy.
The Clippers’ four-game winning streak was snapped with a 134-128 loss to Oklahoma City on Monday, but their improving offensive cohesion was evident once again.
Led by Norman Powell’s team-high 31 points, five Clippers scored in double figures against the Thunder.
The Clippers had at least four players in double digits in each of the previous four games, with Powell leading six double-digit scorers in wins over the Spurs and Kings.
Powell (team-high 26 points per game), James Harden (20.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, and nine assists), and Ivica Zubac (16.9 points, 12.8 rebounds) have been consistent offensive contributors. The emergence of Amir Coffey and Derrick Jones Jr., averaging 13 and 12.4 points over the last five games respectively, has rounded out the Clippers’ offensive attack.
The Clippers needed time and game reps to settle into an offensive rhythm without Kawhi Leonard (knee) and Paul George (now with the 76ers), their top two scorers last season. Discovering their new offensive approach in just 11 games bodes well for a team that seemed uncertain when the season began last month.
