Sengun’s Defense Raises Questions Around the Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets remain near the top of the Western Conference, but the loss to the Denver Nuggets has reignited doubts about the team’s true value
The Houston Rockets suffered a heavy loss on the road against the Denver Nuggets. Although the Texas team currently sits third in the Western Conference, the latest result represents a real wake-up call.
Regular Season games carry relative weight, but it’s undeniable that when the Rockets have faced their direct rivals this season, they have rarely impressed with their style of play. In fact, the criticism has been widespread.
It is difficult to form a completely clear idea of this franchise. The players coached by Ime Udoka seem to exist in a gray area: organized enough to compete in the Western Conference, but still too inconsistent in their results to be considered a true NBA contender.
Beyond the statistics and the lack of a true point guard, what stands out most is the team’s limited offensive creativity. The franchise boasts several intriguing young players, but they often lack efficiency when it comes time to score. It feels strange to think that Kevin Durant, at 37 years old, is still the go-to guy for his team, carrying most of the offensive responsibility.
The performances of the young trio formed by Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., and Alperen Sengun seem to have lost the sharpness that was evident earlier in the season, especially against other Western Conference contenders. After the loss to Denver, the Turkish center was criticized by Kendrick Perkins for his lack of defensive effort.
When a coach needs more defensive effort, the first player you think of is the center. I know Sengun doesn’t like the nickname “Baby Jokic”, so I’ll give him a new one: “Zero Interest”, because he has zero interest in playing good defense
Kendrick Perkins
For now, Houston is still projected to reach the NBA Playoffs, even though the Play-In zone is not far away. Among the teams with the same record, the Rockets appear to be the one struggling the most: for that reason, in these final games it will be crucial not to lose ground in order to secure a top-six seed in the West.