Why Rockets’ Alperen Sengun was a late scratch vs. Suns

The Houston Rockets are set to take on the Phoenix Suns on Friday, as the team aims to advance to a 15-5 record. However, it appears the club will be without star center Alperen Sengun, creating a disadvantage in the front court.

Reports indicate that Sengun, who is 23 years old, is ruled out due to an illness, according to Duane Rankin of AZ Central. This will be his first missed game of the season, and Steven Adams is expected to get the start.

“Alperen Sengun (illness) late scratch, OUT. Steven Adams will start in his place.”

Hopefully, the illness doesn’t keep him out for multiple games, and Sengun can return to action by Saturday for the matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. But only time will tell if he’ll be available for the second contest of the Rockets’ back-to-back games.

The Turkish superstar has been one of the most consistent centers in the league for the past three seasons. He emerged as one of the top players for the Rockets in the 2023-24 season and has never looked back. This year, Sengun is proving to be as reliable as ever, averaging 23.1 points (career-high), 9.1 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game while shooting 50.5% from the field and 38.5% from beyond the three-point line.

As for Steven Adams, he’ll be getting his fifth start of the season. He’s served as a solid backup option behind Alperen Sengun, as Adams plays as an enforcer who excels on defense and rebounding. He enters Friday’s contest against the Suns averaging 6.8 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks per game while owning a 53.5% field goal percentage and shooting76.2% from the free-throw line (career-high).

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