The losing streak for the young Houston Rockets (10-31) is a season-high eight games after Wednesday’s 135-115 loss at Sacramento (box score).
With the first triple-double of his NBA career, second-year center Alperen Sengun became the youngest player in franchise history to record the feat.
Sacramento outscored Houston in the fourth quarter, 41-20, to break open what had been a very competitive game. Kevin Porter Jr. left the game in the first half with a left foot contusion and his prognosis was not immediately clear.
Led by De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis, the improving Kings (22-18) have won five of their last eight games as they seek to earn their first berth in the Western Conference playoffs since 2006 — a run of futility that leads the NBA over that span.
Sabonis led the Kings with 25 points (75% FG), 14 rebounds and 9 assists, while Fox tallied 24 points, 9 assists and 1 turnover on 9-of-18 shooting (50%), including 2-of-4 on 3-pointers (50%).
Key statistics for the Rockets in Wednesday’s game included:
- Jalen Green: 26 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 turnovers, 9-of-25 shooting (36.0%), 3-of-12 on 3-pointers (25.0%), 5-of-7 on free throws (71.4%)
- Alperen Sengun: 10 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, 5-of-9 shooting (55.6%)
- KJ Martin: 21 points, 5 rebounds, 9-of-13 shooting (69.2%), 3-of-7 on 3-pointers (42.9%)
- Eric Gordon: 19 points, 6-of-12 shooting (50.0%), 3-of-7 on 3-pointers (42.9%)
- Garrison Mathews: 12 points, 4-of-6 on 3-pointers (66.7%)
Scroll on for highlights, analysis and postgame interview reaction. Next up for Houston, as its four-game West Coast road trip continues, is Friday’s rematch in Sacramento. Tipoff is at 9 p.m. Central.
Highlights
Analysis and Interviews
ALPEREN SENGUN FIRST CAREER TRIPLE-DOUBLE 🔥
10 PTS | 10 REB | 10 ASThttps://t.co/7TuHKQV5sk pic.twitter.com/8xqdXwbRIA
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) January 12, 2023
Alperen Sengun with a triple-double. At 20 years and 170 days old, the youngest #Rockets player ever to record a triple-double.
— Alykhan Bijani (@Rockets_Insider) January 12, 2023
WOW !!!!
JABARI SMITH JR !!!!#Rockets lead the Kings 95-94 after 3@HoustonRockets on AT&T SportsNet pic.twitter.com/Joalf5Zfok
— AT&T SportsNet™ | SW (@ATTSportsNetSW) January 12, 2023
I guarantee you #Rockets fans would be much more pleased if the product we saw tonight was the product we consistently saw night in and night out
— Roosh (@RooshWilliams) January 12, 2023
This has been a fun #Rockets game. Especially the 2nd half. But it is getting away from the Rockets here late with another loss looming.
Nevertheless, it was a fun game and Sengun got a triple double! Loved the passing from the team.
— Chris A. White 🐻 (@fyrebear) January 12, 2023
Lyles has taken the lead https://t.co/y0fbEige6W
— Lachard Binkley (@BinkleyHoops) January 12, 2023
If y'all remember, Jalen Green started turning around the season last year with some incredible jump shooting. Then came the confidence, and drives opened up
I don't care that he's missing right now. Keep hunting those jumpers
— Itamar (@Itamar_17_10) January 12, 2023
Watching Tate demand that everyone sprint down the court on any given offensive possession, fast break or off the inbounds pass is so refreshing. #Rockets
— Paulo Alves (@PauloAlvesNBA) January 12, 2023
Jae'Sean Tate man
Absolutely relentless. Beautiful. #Rockets
— Paulo Alves (@PauloAlvesNBA) January 12, 2023
The #Rockets have hit the midway point of the NBA season with a record of 10-31. They are 1st in the Tanking Tier. 41 more games to go.
— Chris A. White 🐻 (@fyrebear) January 12, 2023
Kings vs #Rockets Thoughts:
1. Sengun had 10 dimes and 7 shots. Excellent example of running offense through him
2. Houston had 30 assists on 44 made FGs. I barely recognized this team. Faster pace & more ball movement without KPJ
3. Jae’Sean Tate’s impact has been unreal
— Roosh (@RooshWilliams) January 12, 2023
Alperen Sengun tonight
10 PTS
10 REB
10 AST
5/9 FGHe is now the youngest center in NBA history to record a triple double and the first Rockets center since Chuck Hayes to have a triple double. pic.twitter.com/Qzlc3IKhS5
— RocketsMuse (@RocketsMuse) January 12, 2023
Kings 135, Rockets 115. Kings with 41 in the fourth quarter.
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) January 12, 2023
FINAL: Kings 135, Rockets 115.
Sengun's triple double comes in the Rockets' eighth straight loss. Rockets get a redo here on Friday.
— Danielle Lerner (@danielle_lerner) January 12, 2023
Solid effort from our guys, they ran out of gas there in the 4th, but they didn't go down without a fight and made the Kings work very hard for a little over 3 quarters, hope Kevin's injury is nothing too serious
— Abel (@AbelGe87) January 12, 2023
That's a perfectly acceptable loss to me. Wheels fell off in the 4th quarter, led until then.
KJ Martin, Garrison Mathews and Eric Gordon played well. Jabari got a poster but still no 3s
— Itamar (@Itamar_17_10) January 12, 2023
Sengun fouled himself out by playing bad and timid defense.. gotta lock in
— Apathetic (@ftank58) January 12, 2023
The ball movement was definitely good, where Scoot was missed was making tough buckets in the closing minutes of a close game.. this is where he shines, when you need a bucket, no one does it better on the team. https://t.co/vKUcgUdBTR
— Apathetic (@ftank58) January 12, 2023
#Rockets HC Stephen Silas did not have an update on Kevin Porter Jr (left foot contusion) after the loss to the Kings.
— Adam Wexler (@AdamJWexler) January 12, 2023
The only thing I attribute to KPJ not playing tonight was the higher pace with which we played
Rushing the ball up the floor is a big deal for s team that struggles in the half court
On the other hand, we missed his tough shotmaking in the 4th when the game slowed down #Rockets
— Paulo Alves (@PauloAlvesNBA) January 12, 2023
TRIPLE DOUBLE FOR ALPEREN SENGUN@alperennsengun tonight at SAC
🏀10 PTS🏀10 REB🏀10 AST🏀#Rockets @HoustonRockets pic.twitter.com/oRzMV19W8t— AT&T SportsNet™ | SW (@ATTSportsNetSW) January 12, 2023
Stephen Silas had no update postgame on Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr., who was limited to 10 minutes tonight with a foot bruise he suffered in the first quarter
— Danielle Lerner (@danielle_lerner) January 12, 2023
KJ Martin tonight at SAC@kj__martin 21 PTS / 9-13 FG / 5 REB@HoustonRockets #Rockets pic.twitter.com/omdK5mVhiU
— AT&T SportsNet™ | SW (@ATTSportsNetSW) January 12, 2023
History! 🙏 https://t.co/PD3lIAnjrO
— Alperen (@alperennsengun) January 12, 2023
Tonight was the most promising game the #Rockets have played in a while even with the unraveling late in the fourth.
The blueprint is there.
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) January 12, 2023
Even in a Rockets loss, Alperen Sengun’s triple-double was a promising sign for the franchise’s cornerstone young center.
“Always, when I’m getting the ball, I’m looking to my teammates. It’s making me enjoy basketball more when I’m making assists.”https://t.co/BPtmalJaYB
— Danielle Lerner (@danielle_lerner) January 12, 2023
