DETROIT — Alperen Sengun played a pivotal role in guiding the Houston Rockets to a thrilling 101-99 win against the Detroit Pistons on Sunday, tallying 27 points and scoring five crucial points in the final moments of the game.
In a dramatic turn, the Pistons found themselves trailing by just two points with only six seconds remaining. Cade Cunningham, the Pistons’ guard, intentionally missed a free throw, allowing Jaden Ivey to grab the offensive rebound. However, Ivey’s shot attempt also fell short, and during the scramble for the rebound, Tobias Harris was fouled.
With a chance to tie the game at the line, Harris initially missed the first free throw. He then intentionally missed the second attempt as well, but Ivey was unable to keep himself in bounds while trying to recover the ball.
Sengun not only scored albeit his points, but he also contributed significantly on the boards with 10 rebounds. Tari Eason proved to be a key contributor as well, with 18 points, 10 of which he scored in a strong fourth quarter.
Cade Cunningham had an impressive outing for the Pistons with 26 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds, narrowly missing out on making history as the first player in Pistons history to achieve four consecutive triple-doubles.
A crucial moment in the game came when Sengun made a critical putback to give the Rockets a narrow 96-95 lead with just over two minutes remaining. Following that, an offensive foul was called on Ivey, allowing Houston to extend their lead. A powerful dunk by Dillon Brooks and Sengun’s subsequent basket off another offensive rebound pushed the Rockets to a 100-95 advantage.
**Key Insights:**
The Rockets managed to remain competitive throughout the first half, despite struggling with their shooting from beyond the arc, hitting only 18.8% on 3-pointers while securing nine offensive rebounds.
For the Pistons, Cunningham was able to score 14 points in the first half, hitting 5 of his 10 shots, but his support cast only accounted for 31 points on 36.3% shooting.
**Turning Point:**
With the Rockets leading 84-72 and only nine minutes left on the clock, Malik Beasley sparked a comeback for Detroit with three consecutive 3-pointers, igniting a 16-3 run that briefly put the Pistons ahead at 88-87 with just over five minutes to play.
**Statistical Highlight:**
The Rockets’ defense came alive in the third quarter, forcing seven turnovers which resulted in eight points for Houston, while limiting the Pistons to a shooting percentage of only 36.8%. Detroit also struggled from beyond the arc, missing all five of their 3-point attempts, including three from Tim Hardaway Jr.
**Looking Ahead:**
In their upcoming fixtures, the Rockets are set to host the Wizards on Monday, whereas the Pistons will be back in action at home against the Heat on Tuesday.