With 11 straight losses and 16 in their last 17 games, overall, the young Houston Rockets are now tied for the NBA’s longest losing streak of the entire 2022-23 season after Monday’s 140-132 road setback (box score) against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Perennial All-Star forward and future Hall of Famer LeBron James led the Lakers (20-24) with a season-high 48 points on 16-of-26 shooting (61.5%), including 5-of-10 on 3-pointers (50.0%) and 11-of-12 on free throws (91.7%). James also had 9 assists and 7 rebounds.
But the Rockets (10-34) weren’t devoid of bright spots, starting with a career scoring night for second-year center Alperen Sengun.
Key offensive statistics for the Rockets, who collectively allowed a season-high point total for the 2022-23 year, included:
- Alperen Sengun: Career-high 33 points, 14-of-17 shooting (82.4%), 2-of-2 on 3-pointers; 15 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 blocks in 37 minutes
- Jalen Green: 23 points, 7-of-20 shooting (35.0%), 3-of-10 on 3-pointers (30.0%), 6-of-8 on free throws (75.0%); 5 rebounds, 3 assists in 39 minutes
- KJ Martin: 17 points, 7-of-14 shooting (50.0%), 2-of-5 on 3-pointers (40.0%); 6 rebounds, 2 blocks in 30 minutes
- Jabari Smith Jr.: 14 points, 5-of-11 shooting (45.5%); 4 rebounds, 4 assists in 28 minutes
- Eric Gordon: 19 points, 5-of-11 shooting (45.5%), 9-of-11 on free throws (81.8%); season-high 8 assists in 32 minutes
Starting point guard Kevin Porter Jr. missed his third straight game with a left foot contusion, which he suffered last week in Sacramento.
Scroll on for Monday’s highlights, analysis, and postgame interview reaction from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Next up for Houston, with its four-game California road trip in the books, is Wednesday’s home game versus Charlotte. Tipoff is at 7:00 p.m. Central.
Rockets hopeful, Stephen Silas said, that Kevin Porter Jr. will be ready to play Wednesday against the Hornets. He’ll miss his third game (and all but the first 10 minutes of the previous game) with a bruised left foot.
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) January 17, 2023
Jabari Smith Jr: “You played against my dad yo first NBA game ever, you feel old don’t you”
LeBron James: “Why you do that to me”
Amazing NBA moment. pic.twitter.com/l9IDAMkPeo
— Bradeaux (@BradeauxNBA) January 17, 2023
Death, taxes, the #Rockets collapse early in fourth quarters when Alperen Sengun is on the bench
— Ben DuBose (@BenDuBose) January 17, 2023
Sengun just had the best single-game performance of any player Rafael Stone has drafted so far
— Roosh (@RooshWilliams) January 17, 2023
Alperen Sengun tonight:
33 points (career-high)
16 rebounds
6 assists
4 blocks14/17 FG | 2/2 3FG | 3/5 FT
Youngest #Rockets player since Hakeem Olajuwon with a 30-10 game.
Best game of his career ???? pic.twitter.com/pHdpvUF1q4
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) January 17, 2023
The good
Sengun was a beast tonight and had the best game of his career
The offense showed up in the 4thThe bad
The Rockets gave up 140 tonight. That makes 5 games in this 11-game losing streak that they gave up 130 or more. 3 of the last 4 they have given up 130 or more— Lachard Binkley (@BinkleyHoops) January 17, 2023
Multiple possessions late in the 4th where you get Jalen Green going to his right, and the #Rockets get 0 points out of those possessions.
With that, and how the Lakers are mostly scoring in transition, why not let Sengun operate in the post and create? Helps you on both ends.
— Alykhan Bijani (@Rockets_Insider) January 17, 2023
Scoot + Jabari+ Sengun and you’re cooking with gas.
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) January 17, 2023
There’s literally nothing these guys can do with LeBron. Nothing. 40 points tonight.
— Kelly Iko (@KellyIko) January 17, 2023
Patrick Fertitta leaping out of his seat with the “timeout” signal after that KJ dunk cuts it to 3 >>>
— Ben DuBose (@BenDuBose) January 17, 2023
Alperen Sengun is the youngest #Rockets player (20 years, 175 days) with a 30-10 game surpassing Hakeem Olajuwon (21 years, 318 days)
Sengun is the youngest player with at least 30 points, 10 boards & 3 blocks since Karl-Anthony Towns on 2/10/16.
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) January 17, 2023
Sengun goes to the rim, draws a foul and finishes, as Patrick Fertitta jumps to his feet to signal and-one over and over. His free throw cuts the LA lead to five.
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) January 17, 2023
LeBron James scores a season-high 48 points to creep within 315 points of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the all-time scoring record. At this clip, he’s going to break the record early next month.
— Melissa Rohlin (@melissarohlin) January 17, 2023
This was so weird. At every level of basketball the refs wait at dead balls for you to tie your shoe. running around with untied shoes is an easy way to get hurt. Guess they just didn’t notice him? https://t.co/xxzqrzKTi0
— Kyle Chilek (@Kchile22) January 17, 2023
I’m proud of these guys, it took the best offensive game by the Lakers this season to win this game, Rockets didn’t go down without putting up a serious fight
— Abel (@AbelGe87) January 17, 2023
Sengun is one of our core players for the future, this is no longer debatable
— Abel (@AbelGe87) January 17, 2023
#Rockets lose but Alperen Sengun turns in the best game of his young career, 33 points and 15 boards on 14-of-17 shooting. Other than trying to tie his shoe in the middle of a play, this was such a huge, impressive performance from him. I consider it a dub.
— B.Scott (@brandonkscott) January 17, 2023
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