Rockets' Alperen Sengun Making Mark in One Key Area

Alperen Sengun is getting even better for the Houston Rockets.

Jan 15, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) and Denver Nuggets forward Dario Saric (9) battle for position in the third quarter at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

The Houston Rockets have made massive strides as a team on the defensive end of the floor, and that can be accredited to players like Amen Thompson and Dillon Brooks.

However, other players not known for their defensive prowess are also making improvements, especially Alperen Sengun.

Sengun had concerns earlier in his career about defense, but those are quickly fading away. Sportscasting analyst Esfandiar Baraheni explained how Sengun is making improvements in his pick-and-roll defense, and how that is helping the Rockets in the long run.

"Experience has been the best teacher for Şengün. Last year, the Rockets’ perimeter defense had to do much of the heavy lifting in pick-and-rolls. With an aggressive scheme, Houston emphasized forcing its point-of-attack defenders to fight over screens and provide rearview contests, both of which made it easier for Şengün to guard rollers," Baraheni writes.

"That approach showed up in the film and numbers, though there’s been a shift this year. The Rockets were 14th in opponents’ at-rim finishing last season. They’re fourth now. Teams are shooting nearly 6six percent worse at the rim with Şengün on the floor (91st percentile among bigs), a five percent improvement from last season for him. He’s fifth in the league in deflections among bigs, just six total deflections behind Victor Wembanyama.

"All of this stems from improvement as a pick-and-roll defender. His timing is better, he’s more active and he’s fouling less, resulting in far fewer blown defensive possessions around the basket."

If Sengun can keep growing as a defender for the Rockets and challenge all of the top centers around the league, Houston will continue to be a dangerous team in the league for many years to come.

The Rockets are back in action tomorrow night as they take on the Portland Trail Blazers. Tipoff for the game is scheduled for 9 p.m. CT from inside the Moda Center in the pacific northwest.

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