The Houston Rockets finally appeared to be on the road to optimal health and building momentum in the competitive Western Conference, courtesy of a roster made whole with the return of two key wing players.
Tari Eason and Dorian Finney-Smith lengthened the Rockets’ rotation and played a role in a four-game winning streak that helped erase the memory of a difficult holiday road trip.
But then, after logging two games without All-Star center Alperen Sengun, the Rockets lost Sengun again in a 110-104 road loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday due to a right ankle sprain.
The Rockets will host the Phoenix Suns on Monday shorthanded once more. Sengun had missed four games combined with an illness and calf soreness before going down just 64 seconds into the tilt in Dallas. Behind Kevin Durant, who paired a game-high 34 points with seven assists, the Rockets built an early 11-point lead only to come undone with Sengun sidelined.
“It’s always an adjustment for a team when one of the main players goes out during action like that,” Durant said. “We prepared for (the Mavericks) with Alpy in the lineup. Everything we did was preparing with our center in the lineup. For him to be taken out of the game with a tough injury, it’s tough for us, but I like how we were all pros. We were able to turn the tide and get some momentum for ourselves regardless.
“We’re hoping he has a speedy recovery, but in the meantime, we’ll have to pick up the slack for him and hold it down for him.”
Veteran Steven Adams filled in for Sengun before sustaining an ankle injury recently against the Indiana Pacers and missing both games of a quick road trip through Brooklyn and Dallas. The Rockets have had success mixing and matching lineups based on their depth, but their rotation will be challenged with both Sengun and Adams unavailable.
Sengun is listed as out for Monday’s game, while Adams is questionable on the injury report.
The sooner one or both return, the faster the Rockets can get back on the path of challenging the top contenders in the West.
The Suns won for the sixth time in seven games by rallying past the league-leading Oklahoma City Thunder 108-105 on Sunday. Phoenix snapped an eight-game skid in the series when Devin Booker drilled a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 0.7 seconds remaining and capped an 18-point comeback.
Without Jalen Green (hamstring) and Grayson Allen (knee), the Suns have relied on a balanced approach to scoring. Booker, as expected, spearheads the offensive attack. Still, Phoenix has thrived off the contributions of Dillon Brooks and his career-best 21.4 points per game in addition to Collin Gillespie, Mark Williams and Royce O’Neale averaging double figures in scoring.
Against the Thunder, Jordan Goodwin scored a career-high 26 points while drilling a career-best eight 3-pointers. If there is a surprise team in the West, the Suns are it.
“We’re solid,” Goodwin said. “We already know that we can compete with anybody in this league. We’ve just got to go out there and prove it every night. As far as confidence, we’re confident every time we hit the floor.”
