02/02/26 09:11:00
Printable Page
02/02 21:09 CST Alperen Sengun scores 39 to help Rockets overcome Kevin
Durant's absence and beat Pacers 118-114
Alperen Sengun scores 39 to help Rockets overcome Kevin Durant's absence and
beat Pacers 118-114
By MICHAEL MAROT
AP Sports Writer
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) --- Alperen Sengun matched his season high with 39 points,
and Jabari Smith Jr. added 19 to help the short-handed Houston Rockets overcome
the absence of All-Star forward Kevin Durant to beat the Indiana Pacers 118-114
on Monday.
Durant sat out, coach Ime Udoka said, after spraining his left ankle when he
stepped on a fan's foot. The Rockets already were missing center Steven Adams,
who is expected to miss the rest of this season following surgery on his
injured left ankle, so Sengun did the heavy lifting.
He made 13 of 25 from the field and 13 of 18 from the free-throw line including
8 of 12 during the fourth quarter and grabbed 16 rebounds. Houston won its
third straight, got its fifth victory in six games and captured its third
straight on the road.
All-Star forward Pascal Siakam finished with 27 points and Bennedict Mathurin
added 25 to lead the Pacers, who charged back from a 12-point deficit in the
third quarter to take the lead. But they didn't have quite enough to extend
their winning streak to a season-best three straight.
Initially, the healthier Pacers took advantage of Houston's missing pieces.
They controlled most of the first half before allowing Houston to charge back
with a 17-4 spurt late. And when replay review waved off what appeared to be
Siakam's buzzer-beating 3-pointer, Indiana was staring at a 63-56 halftime
deficit.
Houston continued pulling away early in the second half, using a 12-5 run to
build a 75-63 lead. Indiana answered with nine straight points then retook the
lead, 81-79, lead on a nifty pass from Jarace Walker to Siakam on a fast break
with 2:27 left in the third quarter.
It remained essentially a one or two possession game until Sengun's free throws
fueled Houston's late 12-2 run to make it 109-101 with 4:59 to go.
Up next
Rockets: Head home to host Boston on Wednesday night.
Pacers: Welcome Utah to Indianapolis on Tuesday night.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
|
