By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Alperen Sengun posted a triple-double, leading the Houston Rockets to an overtime win, 117-111, against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Target Center.
The 22-year-old Turkish center logged ten points between the fourth quarter and the five extra minutes en route to a 22-point display on Tuesday. The triple-double went into 11 assists and ten rebounds. He also recorded three steals and three blocks.
A dominating performance opposite 32-year-old French center Rudy Gobert was attached to a ‘too small’ taunt.
Besides jumping to 13-6 in the 2024-25 NBA Regular Season, Sengun pushed the Rockets to clinch a berth in the Quarterfinals of the Emirates NBA Cup.
Gobert finished with five points, 16 rebounds, two assists, and one block. “It feels like when we start the game, the other team is a little more alert, a little more physical,” he said after his side was forced down to 8-9, “We get slapped in the face. All of a sudden, we know if we don’t react, we will get embarrassed. We talked about it a few weeks ago about starting the games better. We got to find it.”
Despite missing Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks edged out the Miami Heat, 106-103, in Kaseya Center. A fifth straight win created a 9-9 tally in the Regular Season and 3-0 in the NBA Cup. The Greek Freak was initially listed as probable with a left calf strain but was eventually ruled out for the evening due to swelling in his left knee. On the losing end, Swedish Pelle Larsson put up eight points, four rebounds, three assists, and one steal over 22 minutes. Serbian Nikola Jovic (nasal fracture) did not play.
In Capital One Arena, Montenegrin Nikola Vucevic posted a 19-point, 12-rebound double-double, powering the Chicago Bulls to a win, 127-108, over the Washington Wizards. Among the standout performances for the hosts, French Alex Sarr tallied 20 points.
Tuesday games
Washington Wizards – Chicago Bulls 108-127
Miami Heat – Milwaukee Bucks 103-106
Minnesota Timberwolves – Houston Rockets 111-117 OT (102-102)
Utah Jazz – San Antonio Spurs 115-128
Phoenix Suns – Los Angeles Lakers 127-100
Standings
Eastern Conference
1. Cleveland Cavaliers 17-1
2. Boston Celtics 15-3
3. Orlando Magic 12-7
4. New York Knicks 10-7
5. Milwaukee Bucks 9-9
6. Miami Heat 7-8
7. Indiana Pacers 8-10
8. Brooklyn Nets 8-10
9. Chicago Bulls 8-11
10. Detroit Pistons 8-11
11. Atlanta Hawks 7-11
12. Charlotte Hornets 6-11
13. Toronto Raptors 4-14
14. Philadelphia 76ers 3-13
15. Washington Wizards 2-14
Western Conference
1. Oklahoma City Thunder 13-4
2. Golden State Warriors 12-5
3. Houston Rockets 13-6
4. Memphis Grizzlies 11-7
5. Phoenix Suns 10-7
6. Los Angeles Lakers 10-7
7. Los Angeles Clippers 11-8
8. Denver Nuggets 9-7
9. Dallas Mavericks 10-8
10. San Antonio Spurs 10-8
11. Minnesota Timberwolves 8-9
12. Sacramento Kings 8-10
13. Portland Trail Blazers 7-11
14. Utah Jazz 4-13
15. New Orleans Pelicans 4-14
-The top six teams from each conference clinch a berth in the Playoffs
-Teams ranking seventh to tenth advance to the Play-Ins