The Houston Rockets turned Toyota Center into a one-sided showcase Tuesday, blasting the Sacramento Kings 128-97 as Turkish star Alperen Şengün posted a dominant triple-double. The win lifted Houston to 36-21, solidifying their grip on third place in the Western Conference.
Şengün, the 22-year-old center and cornerstone of Houston’s young core, finished with 26 points on 9-of-13 shooting, 13 rebounds, 11 assists, 2 steals and 3 blocks in just 32 minutes. It was his third triple-double of the season and 11th career in the NBA.
The former Beşiktaş standout has become indispensable to Houston’s playoff push, combining scoring, playmaking and defensive versatility in a team that ranks among the league’s top defenses.
Rookie guard Reed Sheppard added a career-high 28 points, hitting seven three-pointers in place of the injured Amen Thompson.
Veteran forward Kevin Durant contributed 21 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists, complementing Houston’s high-powered offense and helping the team dominate both the glass and transition play.
The Rockets shot 54.7% from the field and turned a competitive start into a blowout by the third quarter, marking their largest margin of victory this season.
Sacramento, meanwhile, fell to 13-47. Russell Westbrook scored 22 points with 5 rebounds and 3 assists, while DeMar DeRozan and rookie Nique Clifford each had 15 points.
DeRozan reached a career milestone, passing John Havlicek and Paul Pierce to move into the top 20 all-time scorers with 26,406 regular-season points.
Despite the loss, his consistency and mid-range scoring keep him climbing the historical ranks in his 17th NBA season.
In another key matchup, the Detroit Pistons overcame the injury-depleted Oklahoma City Thunder 124-116 at Little Caesars Arena.
Detroit improved to 43-14, holding strong atop the Eastern Conference and continuing a breakout season few predicted for the franchise.
Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 29 points and 13 assists, while big man Jalen Duren matched his scoring and added 15 rebounds, anchoring Detroit on both ends.
Home dominance continues to fuel Detroit’s push, now 22-7 at Little Caesars Arena.
The Thunder, Western Conference leaders entering the night at 45-14, played without six top scorers, including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren.
Jaylin Williams shone with 30 points and 11 rebounds and guard Cason Wallace added 23 points.
Despite the loss, Oklahoma City’s depth and resilience under Mark Daigneault remain a threat as they chase a repeat title.
