Sengun pushes Rockets to NBA Playoffs

By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net

James Harden is long gone from the Houston Rockets, but new stars have emerged—and they’ve finally led the team back to the postseason.

With Alperen Sengun nearly recording a triple-double, the Rockets crushed the Utah Jazz 143-105 and secured a playoff spot for the first time since Harden’s departure.

The Turkish center was just one assist shy of a triple-double, finishing with 15 points, 14 rebounds, and nine assists in 29 minutes.

Elsewhere, the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the New York Knicks 124-105, despite OG Anunoby putting up 23 points, six rebounds, and six assists. Meanwhile, the Charlotte Hornets lost to the Indiana Pacers 119-105 on the road, with Jusuf Nurkic scoring 13 points, Moussa Diabate adding eight, and Tidjane Salaun contributing seven.

The Washington Wizards edged out the Sacramento Kings 116-111, led by Tristan Vukcevic’s 17 points and eight rebounds, while Alex Sarr chipped in 15 points. For the losing side, Domantas Sabonis flirted with a triple-double, posting 18 points, 16 rebounds, and seven assists, while Jonas Valanciunas added 12 points and six boards.

The Miami Heat secured their sixth straight victory by taking down the Boston Celtics 124-103 at TD Garden. Pelle Larsson scored 16 points, along with four rebounds and four assists, while Neemias Queta recorded seven points and seven rebounds for the Celtics.

The Dallas Mavericks edged the Atlanta Hawks 120-118, with Anthony Davis hitting a game-winning shot. Vit Krejci had 11 points, while Zaccharie Risacher contributed nine for the losing side.

The Denver Nuggets suffered a 113-106 loss to the San Antonio Spurs, with Nikola Jokic sidelined. Sandro Mamukelashvili stepped up for the Spurs, recording a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds.

The Oklahoma City Thunder grabbed another win, taking down the Detroit Pistons 119-103 at home. Isaiah Hartenstein scored five points while grabbing eight rebounds and dishing out six assists, whereas Dennis Schroder led the losing team with 15 points and seven assists.

And finally, the LA Clippers defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 114-98, powered by Ivica Zubac’s double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds. Bogdan Bogdanovic followed with 16 points, while Karlo Matkovic had 10 points and five boards for the Pelicans.

Cleveland Cavaliers – New York Knicks 124-105
Indiana Pacers – Charlotte Hornets 119-105
Washington Wizards – Sacramento Kings 116-111
Miami Heat – Boston Celtics 124-103
Houston Rockets – Utah Jazz 143-105
Dallas Mavericks – Atlanta Hawks 120-118
San Antonio Spurs – Denver Nuggets 113-106
Oklahoma City Thunder – Detroit Pistons 119-103
LA Clippers – New Orleans Pelicans 114-98