HOUSTON — Alperen Sengun showcased an impressive performance by scoring a career-high 31 points and grabbing 12 rebounds, propelling the Houston Rockets to a 130-113 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night.
The Rockets seized control of the game with a strong surge in the third quarter that allowed them to extend their lead to 21 points as they entered the fourth quarter. This win marked their sixth triumph in the last seven games.
Alongside Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr. contributed significantly with 23 points, making this his second game in the past four where he surpassed the 20-point mark. Fred VanVleet also played a vital role, scoring 18 points and providing six assists during the match.
For the Pacers, Quenton Jackson had a remarkable outing, setting a personal best by scoring 24 points on an efficient 10-of-12 shooting. Unfortunately for Indiana, this loss marked their fourth in five games. In a notable yet disappointing performance, Pascal Siakam put up 19 points by halftime but was only able to add two more in the remainder of the game.
Takeaways from the game highlight the need for improvements from the Pacers, particularly focusing on Tyrese Haliburton’s performance. The two-time All-Star struggled once more, finishing with only four points on 1-of-7 shooting, following a challenging outing against the Raptors earlier in the week.
The Rockets, on the other hand, are enjoying a solid start this season, primarily due to their diverse scoring capabilities. They had five players score in double figures, bringing their overall record to 11-5.
A pivotal moment occurred when Myles Turner dunked, closing the gap for the Pacers within three points with about eight minutes to go in the third quarter. However, the Rockets swiftly responded with a 12-3 run, highlighted by three-pointers from both VanVleet and Sengun, pushing the score to 82-70 within minutes.
An interesting statistic from the game indicates the Pacers struggled from beyond the arc, connecting on only 5-of-22 three-point attempts, in contrast to Houston, which made 12 of their 36 tries from distance.
Looking ahead, the Rockets will be facing the Portland Trail Blazers for the first of two consecutive matchups on Friday night, while the Pacers are set to visit the Milwaukee Bucks the same evening.