By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
An intriguing clash of European big men was at the center of the matchup between the Houston Rockets and the Sacramento Kings.
Jonas Valančiūnas and Alperen Şengün shined as the Kings defeated the Rockets 113-103 on the road, while Domantas Sabonis exited early due to injury.
Valančiūnas finished with 15 points, 14 rebounds, four steals, and three blocks on 7-of-10 shooting, becoming the first center to post that stat line since Scott Pollard in 2001.
On the other side, Şengün recorded 30 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists on 10-of-16 shooting, but found support only from Jalen Green, who scored 24. Meanwhile, the Kings had three players outscore Valančiūnas.
However, Sacramento lost Sabonis just 76 seconds into the game. He grabbed his left hamstring while running the floor, then limped off and did not return.
“We’ll see in the coming days,” coach Doug Christie told reporters in Houston. “Probably tomorrow or the next day we’ll have an idea, but everyone’s just pulling for him. Stepping in and, wow, we’re talking about Domantas Sabonis, who fills the stat sheet in a way that is difficult to do. A lot of guys stepped up and weren’t trying to do too much. They were just doing what they do, and that adds up to everyone pulling the rope in the same direction.”