National Basketball Association

Rockets' leading scorer Alperen Şengün reportedly avoids major injury

Updated Mar. 11, 2024 8:07 p.m. ET

The Houston Rockets have received some good news regarding the injury to leading scorer Alperen Şengün.

The 21-year-old Şengün, who left Sunday night's win over the Sacramento Kings with a right knee injury, has avoided a major injury, according to a report by ESPN on Monday.

According to the report, postgame X-rays and an MRI revealed he suffered a "severely sprained ankle and a bone bruise on his knee", and avoided any breaks or tears. Şengün's timetable for return has yet to be determined, and it's likely the Rockets won't push him. The team is currently 4.5 games out of the Western Conference Play-In tournament, behind 10th-place Golden State.

Şengün, who had 14 points prior to the injury, was hurt while landing awkwardly while challenging a shot on defense. The Rockets ultimately won the game, 112-104.

He is leading Houston in points this season, averaging a career-high 21.2 points per game.

Sacramento cut a 17-point lead down to five late in the fourth quarter, but Houston held off a late push, with Green hitting a three to push the lead to eight with under a minute to play.

The Rockets grabbed control in the third quarter, going on a 13-0 run and taking advantage of five straight turnovers by the Kings to take an 86-73 lead into the fourth. Şengün had eight points in the quarter, and the Kings held the Rockets to just 14 points and four field goals.

Houston swept the Kings this season, also beating Sacramento in consecutive home games in November. The Rockets had dropped four of the last five to the Kings on the road. They have now won three straight on the road, a season-high.

Sacramento dropped to seventh in the West, entering the game tied with Phoenix for the last spot to avoid the play-in tournament.

The Rockets trailed by 13 points in the first half, but finished on a 13-5 run to cut the deficit to 59-54 at halftime, with VanVleet making back-to-back 3-pointers.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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