The Rockets are back in the win column and clinched their group in the NBA mid-season tournament.
One of the questions we had coming in to Tuesday night’s game between the Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves was how would Alperen Sengun fare matched up against Rudy Gobert? The answer is not too bad at all.
Sengun went for 22 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists, 3 steals and 3 blocks to lead the Rockets to a 117-111 overtime victory against the Wolves, and though he was just 9-for-23 from the field, he was the engine that drove the Rockets on Tuesday night. And though Gobert did block him on a potential regulation game winner, it was Sengun’s all-around that play that won the matchup and the game for the Rockets.
Houston was up 10 at halftime only to see their lead dwindle away in the second half, but Houston’s D stepped up in a major way in OT holding the Wolves to just 9 points in the deciding frame to help seal the victory. In fact, the Rockets held Minnesota to just 42.9 percent shooting from the field for the game, 9-for-38 shooting from deep to go along with 12 team steals, 9 team blocks, and 17 forced turnovers for the night.
In addition to Sengun, the Rockets also got a near triple double from Fred VanVleet, who had a bounce-back night. He finished with 27 points, 8 rebounds and 11 assists on just 10-for-25 from the floor, but he was 6-for-12 from three.
Houston also got 22 points from Dillon Brooks, who shot 8-for-14 from the field and 4-for-7 from deep, and Jabari Smith Jr. put up 19 points, 7 boards, 3 assists and 2 blocks. He was 8-for-9 from the field and 3-for-4 from deep. When Jabari is shooting it like this, Ime Udoka and VanVleet need to find a way to get him more involved offensively. He should have had more than 9 shots when he’s slinging it like that.
Amen Thompson also had a big night off the bench for the Rockets. He filled in for Jalen Green, who played just 23 total minutes, in all of the fourth quarter and overtime, and he responded with 15 points, 8 rebounds, 4 steals and 3 blocks on 6-for-9 shooting from the field and even went 1-for-2 from deep. This is a change that should happen more often and more quickly when Green doesn’t have it. Thompson played 38 minutes. Jalen finished with 9 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals on 3-for-9 from the floor and 1-for-5 from deep.
As for the Wolves, they got 29 points and 10 boards from Anthony Edwards, 21 points from Julius Randle, and 19 from Naz Reid off the bench. Gobert pulled in 16 boards but had just 5 points and racked up 5 fouls guarding Sengun.
Being this was part of the mid-season tournament, the Rockets have now clinched their group and move into the knockout round. They’re also 13-6 and sitting in third place in the west, just one game back of first. They’ll be back in action tonight versus the Philadelphia 76ers.