HE DID IT AGAIN!
Alperen Sengun scores 30 points as Rockets hand Nets fifth straight loss
Jan 4, 2024, 11:01 am
Sengnun had himself a night. Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images.
Alperen Sengun scored 30 points and Fred VanVleet added 21 points and 10 assists as the Houston Rockets beat the Brooklyn Nets 112-101 on Wednesday night.
Sengun has hit the 20-point mark in seven consecutive games. He shot 11 of 17 from inside and drained 8-of-10 free throws while grabbing eight rebounds.
“On offense they trust me,” Sengun said. “They’re playing through me, a lot isolation, so I’m trying my best to score.”
VanVleet knocked down 6-of-8 3-pointers, with Houston finishing the game 19 of 39 from long distance.
The Nets have lost five in a row and 10 of their last 12, dropping them 15-20 on the season.
“I’m going to continue to hold them to a standard,” Nets coach Jacque 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.”
Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson led the Nets with 15 points. Nic Claxton added 12 points and 13 rebounds, while Royce O’Neale chipped in 13 points off the bench.
VanVleet scored 11 points in the first quarter and the Rockets led 26-22. Houston shot 6 of 11 from behind the 3-point line, with VanVleet converting on all three of his attempts, but Brooklyn scored nine points off nine Houston turnovers in the second quarter to take a 50-49 lead at halftime.
“They had 14 points off those 12 (turnovers) in the first half and nine fast break points,” Rockets coach Ime 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.”
Brooklyn grew its lead to five within the first three minutes of the third quarter only to see Houston go on a 24-6 run, which was capped by Cam Whitmore’s third 3-pointer of the night. He finished with 11 points off Houston’s bench.
The Rockets outscored the Nets 38-25 in a third quarter that ended with VanVleet blocking O’Neale’s half-court heave at the buzzer to take a 12-point lead into the fourth, and Brooklyn couldn't get closer than nine points in the final period.
Houston improved to 17-15 despite playing without starting forward Dillon Brooks, who missed his fourth straight game due to an oblique strain, and Tari Eason, because of left leg soreness.
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Nets: Host Oklahoma City on Friday night.
Rockets: Host Minnesota on Friday night as their seven-game homestand continues.
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The Houston Astros wrapped up yet another series win this week, this time taking two of three from the struggling Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Despite missing several key players and a bullpen that wasn’t fully available, the Astros continued their recent run of success, pushing their record to 52-35.
Manager Joe Espada appeared to be playing the long game in the rubber match on Thursday. After Houston rallied to tie the game in the seventh inning, Espada stuck with reliever Jordan Weems instead of turning to his high-leverage arms. That decision, while frustrating to some fans hoping for the sweep, underscored the team’s cautious approach to workload management as they navigate a long season.
One bright spot continues to be rookie Cam Smith, who delivered again in the clutch with a two-run triple in the seventh inning on Thursday. Smith has been Houston’s most dependable bat with runners on base and is quickly settling into the cleanup role—a rarity for a first-year player but one he’s earned with his poise and production.
Astros cleanup hitter RBIs this season:
Cam Smith: 10 RBIs in 7 games
All others: 28 RBIs in 80 games
— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) July 3, 2025
Off the field, the biggest storyline continues to be Yordan Alvarez’s injury. After reports surfaced that the slugger had experienced a setback in his return from a fractured hand, the team clarified that the issue is inflammation, not the fracture itself. Astros general manager Dana Brown said Alvarez received injections to address the irritation and is expected to rest for now. Encouragingly, the Astros say the fracture is no longer a concern, and while there’s still no definitive timeline for his return, the overall tone from the club was optimistic.
The transparency around Alvarez’s situation is part of a larger shift. After being criticized in recent seasons for vague injury updates, the Astros have begun issuing daily availability reports. It’s a move that signals the front office is trying to regain some trust with the media and fans after a stretch of frustrating ambiguity around player health.
Now, the Astros head to Los Angeles for a marquee matchup with the defending champion Dodgers. Friday’s opener will feature Lance McCullers Jr. making just his second start since returning from the injured list. McCullers gave up eight runs in his return against the Cubs and will be under the spotlight as he looks to settle back into form. Control will be the key, as walks have long been McCullers’ Achilles’ heel.
Saturday sets the stage for one of the most anticipated pitching matchups of the season: Framber Valdez versus Shohei Ohtani. With both teams fighting for positioning in their respective divisions, this weekend in LA should serve as a measuring stick—and perhaps a postseason preview.
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