Alperin Sengun absolutely went off for 43 points and pulled down 12 boards Friday night, powering the Houston Rockets past the Utah Jazz 125-118 in NBA Cup play and extending the Jazz’s brutal losing streak to 11 straight games. This dude was just cooking, plain and simple.
Sengun Is Playing Like an Absolute Monster Right Now
Talk about stepping up! Sengun wasn’t just scoring, he was doing it efficiently, hitting 17 of 24 shots from the floor. This was his second career 40-point game, which is wild to think about for a player who’s just getting started. You know his other big night? That 45-point career-high he dropped against the San Antonio Spurs back in 2024. The Rockets, now sitting pretty at 10-3, really needed that spark too, especially with Kevin Durant having an off night, only managing 22 points on 5 of 14 shooting. Sengun straight up carried them through.
Utah’s Nightmare Streak Continues, But They Fought Back
The Jazz are in a seriously rough spot. Their only win this season came way back in their second game, against New Orleans. Now they’re sitting at a dismal 1-12 after this latest loss. They actually hung tough early, tying the Rockets at 27 after the first quarter, but Sengun’s nine points in the second helped Houston grab a 63-53 lead at halftime. Give the Jazz some credit though, they didn’t just roll over. Keyonte George dropped 10 of his 27 points in the third quarter, helping Utah cut the lead to just 92-89 going into the final frame. Darryn Peterson led the Jazz with 28 points and Ace Bailey added 21, showing they had some fight. They even got within two possessions in the final minute, but KD, despite the tough shooting night, iced the game with a couple of clutch free throws in the closing seconds.
Houston’s now won their last three games, and they’re 1-1 in NBA Cup play with two group-stage games left. The Jazz are hosting the Spurs on Sunday, desperately looking for a turnaround, while the Rockets head to Washington to keep their momentum going.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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