Alperen Şengün put on a stellar performance with 29 points, nine rebounds, nine assists, six steals, and a block as the Houston Rockets defeated the Atlanta Hawks 120-110. The victory improved Houston’s record to 4-0 to start the season, fueled in large part by their center’s aggressive play.
A Dominant Paint Presence
Şengün leads the Rockets in scoring with 24.5 points per game and shares the team lead in rebounds at nine per contest alongside Amen Thompson, while also tying Fred VanVleet with seven assists per game. His efficiency has skyrocketed this season due to a concerted effort to attack the rim, shooting 58.1% from the field after making 11 of 15 shots against Atlanta.
“He’s dominant,” VanVleet said. “He’s playing like the All-NBA caliber player that we know he is.”
“I’m in the mode that I’s just gonna go to the rim every time,” Şengün stated.
According to Cleaning the Glass, Şengün entered the game taking 47% of his shots at the rim, a figure set to rise after he took 13 attempts inside the paint against the Hawks. He has simultaneously reduced his midrange shots from 48% last season to 38%, taking only one midrange jumper against Atlanta while going 6-for-8 from the free-throw line.
Rockets coach Ime Udoka noted that the big man is no longer settling for long floaters or hook shots, forcing his way into the paint with a fresh and active bounce.
The Return of Fred VanVleet
Şengün’s physical resurgence stems partly from feeling healthy following a summer with a reduced workload for the Turkish national team and a better diet. However, life has also become significantly easier on the court with the return of point guard Fred VanVleet.
With VanVleet sidelined for the entirety of last season due to a torn ACL, Şengün carried a heavy playmaking burden that drained his energy. Having his point guard back allows Şengün to conserve energy and focus on carving out paths inside the defense.
“I’m back … Make sure you tell him that,” VanVleet joked when asked about Şengün’s increased shots at the rim. “He’s talented enough to do it from halfcourt, but we can put him in positions where it makes it easier for him.”
“I’m the happiest guy Fred is back,” Şengün added.
Opposing Defenses Struggle
Opponents have frequently left Şengün in single coverage while shifting extra attention to teammates like Kevin Durant and VanVleet. Durant remarked that opponents must have read poor articles about Şengün over the summer to believe they can stop him one-on-one, noting that the team loves that matchup every time down.
Şengün also credited Houston assistant coach Cam Hodges and player development staff Orhun Gungoren and Walker Miller for keeping him in the right mental space over the summer by pushing him to fight and dominate.
The next challenge for Şengün is maintaining this high level of efficiency across a full 82-game season to elevate both his own ceiling and the team’s status as contenders.
