Alperen Şengün joined Hakeem Olajuwon and Yao Ming in Houston Rockets history after a dominant performance on Friday, Nov. 13, 2026. Şengün recorded 43 points, 12 rebounds, and five assists while shooting 17-for-24 to lead the Rockets to a 125-118 victory over the Utah Jazz.
The victory marked the third consecutive win for the Rockets, improving their record to 10-3. Houston currently sits in third place in NBA Cup Group A, trailing the 2-0 Dallas Mavericks and 1-0 Denver Nuggets, while remaining above the 0-2 Jazz.
Coach Ime Udoka described the team's performance as somewhat lackadaisical, noting that the Rockets appeared to be going through the motions during the third quarter after holding a 10-point lead at the break. The Jazz built a 10-point lead late in the third quarter, but a 15-2 run to close the quarter allowed Houston to enter the final period with a three-point advantage.
Fred VanVleet contributed 17 points to the win, noting that the team needed Şengün's production to secure the victory. Şengün, the 24-year-old center, credited a strong offseason and working with a dietician for his increased explosiveness this season.
In the fourth quarter, Şengün scored a team-high nine points despite showing signs of exhaustion. The Rockets secured the win after a VanVleet floater off the backboard as the shot clock expired with 37 seconds remaining in the game.
The Rockets are managing roster availability as Marcus Smart serves a three-game suspension that began Friday's game. Coach Udoka stated the team is discussing whether to rest VanVleet during upcoming back-to-back games against the Washington Wizards and Miami Heat.
Regarding injuries, Udoka expects backup center Steven Adams to return for one game of the upcoming back-to-back, while reserve Clint Capela is not expected to play in either game due to an ankle injury.
The Rockets will play the Washington Wizards on Sunday and the Miami Heat on Monday.
