Alperen Sengün scored up to 37 points to score his highest score in the NBA and give the Houston Rockets the victory (127-126). Opposite, a combative Utah Jazz who managed to take the game to overtime despite trailing by 17 in the second quarter. The Turkish center also led the game with 14 rebounds and distributed 6 assists, while Jabari Smith Jr. added 24 points and 10 sacks, and Fred VanVleet 18 points and 7 assists.
Sengün dominated the minutes with Lauri Markkanen in the ‘five’. The partnership with VanVleet in the pick-and-roll continues to be the abc of these Rockets in attack, and from the center punished again and again. He struggled more in the presence of Walker Kessler, one of the best defensive interiors in the league. Even so, he closed the night with a great 15 of 27 shooting and with seven points in an overtime in which only he and Smith Jr scored for Houston.
«These victories are satisfactory, no doubt. It’s good that the boys have the opportunity to win really tough games,” said Ime Udoka after the match. The star of the match was also largely satisfied. «I don’t know if we had won a game in extra time since I arrived three years ago. “It means a lot,” Sengün said.
The leaders of the Jazz comeback
On the other side, it was Collin Sexton (28 PTS, 5 AST) and Jordan Clarkson (33 PTS, 12 REB and 4 AST) who made sure it started. His score was the stiletto in a comeback that the Jazz carried out in just one quarter. After a 38-25 run in the third period, the Jazz were ahead and the game was tied in the final quarter. Markkanen added 22 points and 9 rebounds, but was held scoreless in the fourth quarter and added only 4 points in overtime.
Utah has its second consecutive defeat, but they continue to occupy play-in positions (ninth, half a game above the Lakers) and have won seven in their last ten games. Sexton even had a shot to win at the end of regulation time, but missed the triple with the score tied at 115. «I can live with those shots every night. We’ve shown we can make those shots time and time again. “It is the rebounds and securing the ball that ended up costing us the game,” Will Hardy analyzed.
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The match became ugly due to a scuffle between Smith Jr. and Khris Dunn, who had to be separated at the end of the third quarter. It all started with a hard block from the Jazz point guard who was trying to clear Markkanen’s counterattack. The referee sealed the clash with a technical for each.
This victory helps the Rockets stay in the fight for the play-in. Right now, we are eleventh and tied with the Los Angeles Lakers for the last position that gives access to this one. Houston’s season at home is more than notable (16-6), having added the same victories there as OKC and beating teams like Dallas or Pelicans. It is their results as a visitor (4-15) that are keeping them out of the postseason right now.
(Cover photo by Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Images)
2024-01-21 08:12:58
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