Rockets vs. Bulls Takeaways: Alperen Sengun's Impact, Ball Movement, Jalen Green Breaks Out Of Slump
The Houston Rockets (10-23) ended their five-game losing streak Monday night in a 133-118 victory over the Chicago Bulls (14-19) inside the United Center. Here are three takeaways from the Rockets' win.
Alperen Sengun was the Rockets most impactful player:
Alperen Sengun had arguably the best game of his young career. He did not have the most points (25) or assists (6), but Sengun was Houston's most impactful player against the Bulls.
"He was screening and getting to the rim [Alperen] was doing his thing tonight," Jalen Green said. "It doesn't surprise me. I'm getting used to it."
Sengun set an early tone for Houston with his play on both ends.
He scored the first basket of the night after converting a layup attempt at the 11:43 mark of the first quarter. Sengun's bucket helped the Rockets open the night on a 25-5 run to extend their early lead to 18 points.
When the Bulls took a seven-point lead early in the third quarter, Sengun helped Houston regain momentum with a pair of dunks that ignited their comeback.
The Rockets ran most of their offense through Sengun, which led to Houston finishing the game with one of the best illustrations of ball movement. Sengun led the team on the night with nine rebounds and two blocks with a plus-24.
Ball movement is the key:
It's not a coincidence that the Rockets moved the ball well on a night Sengun had one of his best career performances.
"We have a competitive group who is tired of losing and disappointed in how we finished the homestand," Coach Stephen Silas said. "We have a group of good guys who want to do the right things."
Houston recorded 28 assists against the Bulls. Their performance marked the second-highest assist total since their 134-127 win over the Orlando Magic (34 assists) on Nov. 7 inside Amway Center.
The Rockets' offense was at its best during both games, given that their play did not become stagnant.
Silas emphasized that better ball movement would lead to more shot-making during the five-game losing streak — which had plagued their performance.
Houston shot an appalling 27.1 percent from deep during the losing skid while averaging 22.4 assists. But against the Bulls, Houston shot 38.6 percent from behind the arc.
"We just had good mojo," Silas said. "The ball was moving. The guys were making shots. If we continue to move the ball, then the possibility of us making shots goes up."
Jalen Green breaks free of shooting struggles:
Before facing the Bulls, Green was averaging 18.8 points during the losing skid. He struggled with his shooting, as he shot 36.1 percent from the field and 20.0 percent from behind the arc.
Green scored 10 points during the first quarter by converting a 3-point field goal assisted by Kevin Porter Jr. and finished the night with 24 points on 9-of-15 shooting with six made triples.
He recorded three of the Rockets' 28 assists. But Green's most significant contribution outside of scoring came with his rebounding. Green accounted for six out of Houston's 48 boards, as the Rockets outrebounded the Bulls 45-35.
Best Performance:
Alperen Sengun was the Rockets' most impactful player, but Kevin Porter Jr. was Houston's best. He recorded a season-high 36 points on 14-of-22 shooting, 6-of-12 from behind the arc.
When the Rockets trailed the Bulls by seven with 9 minutes and 18 seconds left in the third quarter, Porter dominated the rest of the way. He recorded a two-point field goal that pull Houston within three points with 8 minutes and 47 seconds left in the period. Porter finished the second half with 24 points on 69.2 percent shooting from the field.
Worst performance:
Bruno Fernando had no impact for the Rockets in Chicago. He picked up two fouls in six minutes, which limited his potential playing time.
Final Words:
"We had good energy tonight. We are going to enjoy this for a little while because we are about to get on a plane and head to Boston." — Stephen Silas
You can follow Coty M. Davis on Twitter at @CotyDavis_24
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