The Rockets are currently on a six-game winning streak and this good run is partly explained by the performance of Alperen Sengun. The latter is surely the best player at the start of the season in Houston, with his 19.4 points, 8.2 rebounds and 6 assists on average.
He thus continues his progress but specifies that, this season, there is nevertheless change with the arrival of Tiago Splitter on the Rockets bench. The former San Antonio player, after three years in Brooklyn, now assists Ime Udoka in Texas.
“He helps me a lot. I improved my left hand thanks to him, because we work together,” tells the Turk for Locked On Rockets. “He is someone who has experience, who has been a champion, who teaches me a lot of things about the mentality to have, about matches and things to know outside of matches. We have an agreement: he teaches me all these things and I teach him low position actions. »
A Dirk-style shoot in his range
Another influence, more distant and less direct, of Alperen Sengun: Dirk Nowitzki. We saw him against Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets draw from mid-distance on one leg, as the German did.
“Obviously it’s a bit of his shot, he brought it to the NBA,” he concedes. “I worked all summer on this shot, on fadeaways, mid-range shots. I didn’t use this shot during preseason, but against Orlando it came naturally. I’m feeling good. You have to add something new to your game every season. I attack well and when I dribble I can become dangerous. When I’m given space, I can use this shot. I’m very dangerous with it and it’s difficult to defend against it. »
Since the start of the season, it has been particularly lethal at these distances. Between three and five meters from the circle, he shoots with a 60% success rate, and between five meters and the 3-point line, he reaches 78%!
“Ime Udoka always tells me to shoot if I’m open, he always gives me confidence,” says Alperen Sengun. “So I don’t fake anymore, if I’m really open, then I send. »
| Alperen Sengun | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2021-22 | HOU | 72 | 21 | 47.4 | 24.8 | 71.1 | 1.9 | 3.5 | 5.5 | 2.6 | 3.0 | 0.8 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 9.6 |
| 2022-23 | HOU | 75 | 29 | 55.3 | 33.3 | 71.5 | 3.2 | 5.8 | 9.0 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 0.9 | 2.6 | 0.9 | 14.8 |
| 2023-24 | HOU | 9 | 31 | 60.0 | 25.0 | 61.8 | 2.6 | 5.7 | 8.2 | 6.0 | 2.8 | 1.0 | 2.1 | 0.4 | 19.4 |
| Total | 156 | 25 | 52.9 | 27.4 | 70.8 | 2.6 | 4.8 | 7.3 | 3.4 | 3.2 | 0.9 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 12.7 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
