Houston Rockets defeat New York Knicks 109-97 as Alperen Sengun shines

By Yasin Gungor

ISTANBUL (AA) - Houston Rockets secured their fourth victory of the season, defeating the New York Knicks 109-97 at the Toyota Center in Houston with Turkish center Alperen Sengun leading the way with an impressive double-double.

Scoring 25 points and grabbing 14 rebounds, Sengun also contributed five assists, demonstrating his all-around impact on the court.

Fred VanVleet supported the win with 19 points, as the Rockets now stand seventh in the Western Conference with a 4-3 record.

For the Knicks, Jalen Brunson scored 29 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns pulled down 19 rebounds, but their efforts were not enough to prevent the team’s third loss of the season. Following this game, the Knicks hold a 3-3 record, placing fourth in the Eastern Conference standings.

In late October, Sengun, 22, agreed to a five-year $185 million rookie extension with a player option for the final season. The Turkish player has shown steady improvement each season with Houston, achieving career highs last year with 21.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.2 steals per game.

The game attracted 16,417 fans, lasting two hours and eight minutes, according to NBA figures.