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Inside The Rockets

Rockets' Alperen Sengun Has Room for Improvement

Alperen Sengun was good, not great, in his Houston Rockets season debut.
Jeremy Brener|
Oct 23, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) reacts after a play during the second quarter against the Charlotte Hornets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Oct 23, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) reacts after a play during the second quarter against the Charlotte Hornets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

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Houston Rockets

Fresh off a five-year, $185 million contract extension, Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun had a lot to prove.

He did just that with his 25-point, 18-rebound performance in the team's season-opening loss to the Charlotte Hornets, but there is still a lot of room for him to be even better.

“They sent some doubles a few times in the post, but I think more of more of us than what they did,” Udoka said via SportsRadio610 reporter Adam Spolane. “They put Grant Williams on him, and switched some matchups, but he had point blank layups a few times that he missed, so I wouldn't say it was a lot that they did, other than us rushing and being a little sloppy at times.”

Udoka was fair in his criticism for Sengun, which the Turkish center echoed when self-reflecting about the game. Sengun shot just 8 of 19 from inside the 3-point line, an efficiency line that should get better over time.

"I was just missing shots today (that) normally I'm not missing,” Sengun said via Spolane. “I wasn't my best today."

Through his four seasons in the NBA, Sengun has always been one to focus on improving his game, and now that he has the big contract to make him a cornerstone for the Rockets, it's a must for him to get better.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several On SI sites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid and resides in Central Florida. He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener.

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