Alperen Şengün Hasn't Been the Same Offensive Force for the Rockets As of Late

Perhaps it's the dramatic 129-93 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night, but the Houston Rockets are a major team of concern heading into the final stretch of the season. It was their largest margin of defeat this year, in a game that could end up decided Western Conference playoff seeding.

The only impactful Rocket in the loss was Amen Thompson, but even his 16 points weren't anything spectacular. Five players finished in double figures, but none hit 20 points, which is as big an issue in the modern NBA as any team could have.

But looking further back than Wednesday, one player who has gone quiet is Alperen Şengün. The Turkish All-Star hasn't necessarily been cold, rather less of a factor on both ends of the floor.

Something we never see, the Barkley Rule to stop post up players from taking too long. Remember, the lead ref doesn't start counting (we can see him) until Sengun starts dribbling pic.twitter.com/3Bhc3TMjSD
— BBALLBREAKDOWN (@bballbreakdown) March 12, 2026

Over his last three games, Şengün has put up 13.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game, a far cry from his season averages. He's shot 51.4% from the field, but has missed all three attempts from beyond the arc while going 4-for-9 from the free-throw line.

Şengün can be a net-negative on the defensive end at times, so his strengths on the other side of the floor have to be prominent for him to make an impact. Once nicknamed "Baby Jokic," he has built a reputation for being one of the better all-around centers in the league. The 23-year-old can score within the arc, facilitate and rebound.

But lately, Şengün has found himself lost in Ime Udoka's offense. While Reed Sheppard and Amen Thompson have improved their overall production over the last two weeks, that has taken away from the 6-foot-11 big man.

The Nuggets send two to Sheppard, and Cam Johnson reads this pass to Sengun in the short roll like a book. pic.twitter.com/F8Kc3i6MZf
— Matt Brooks (@MattBrooksNBA) March 12, 2026

Defenses have started to figure out how to stop Şengün inside the three-point line. Last night, the Nuggets would have the weak side rotate over as the center would roll to the basket off screens, forcing an early pick-up or a turnover.

Perhaps it's tough to play with a team that shoots so little from the outside that Şengün can't properly operate in his sweet spots. Thompson, Kevin Durant, Tari Eason and more score most of their points within the arc. Houston ranks 29th in three-point attempts per game, lacking a true spot-up shooter outside of Reed Sheppard.

The bottom line is that Şengün and the rest of the Rockets need to provide Durant with the necessary production to supplement his talents. He's in the middle of another All-NBA-esque season, providing another dimension to the offense. The Turkish star needs to live up to his potential in what is a pivotal stretch.