SENGUN SHINES!

Sengun records triple-double in Rockets rout of Bulls

Alperen Sengun
Rockets defeat the Bulls, 143-107. Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images.

Fred VanVleet scored a season-high 28 points, Alperen Sengun had 20 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists for his second triple-double this season and the Houston Rockets routed the Chicago Bulls 143-107 on Sunday night for their fifth straight win.

Jalen Green scored 18 points as all five Houston starters reached double figures, and the Rockets topped their previous season-high in points (128). Amen Thompson played despite right quad soreness and added 16 points and 11 rebounds off the bench.

The Rockets dominated in the paint at both ends and pulled in 66 rebounds to Chicago's 47.

Zach LaVine led Chicago with 15 points, and Talen Horton-Tucker scored 12 off the bench as the Bulls dropped their second straight and third in four.

After a sluggish start, the Rockets came on to shoot 52.4% (55 of 105) from the floor.

Takeaways

Rockets: Houston, which entered Sunday leading the NBA with 49.5 rebounds per game, improved to 8-2 when outrebounding an opponent.

Bulls: Chicago had no answer for Houston's dominance in the paint and shot 33.6% (36 of 107). The 143 points were the most Chicago ever allowed to Houston.

Key moment

LaVine's free throws tied it at 36 4:06 into the second quarter. Led by VanVleet and Sengun, Houston outscored Chicago 32-16 to take a 68-52 halftime lead. The Rockets started the third with an 11-0 run and blew it open to 108-78 after 36 minutes.

Key stat

The Rockets set a season-high for points in a quarter when they outscored Chicago 41-26 in the second. They followed up by by scoring 40 in the third.

Up next

The Rockets play at Milwaukee on Monday, the same day the Bulls face the Pistons in Detroit.

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Cam Smith continues to swing a hot bat! Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images.

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.

 

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.

There's so much more to get to! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!

The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.

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