Alperen Sengun matched his season high with 39 points and helped seal a 118-114 Houston Rockets win over the Indiana Pacers with the last of his game-high 16 rebounds on Monday in Indianapolis.
Sengun picked up the offensive slack for a Houston team down Kevin Durant, a late scratch due to a left ankle sprain. The Houston center shot 13-for-25 from the floor and 13-for-18 at the foul line, and it was on one of his missed attempts at the charity stripe he made a critical play.
With Houston leading 117-114 and eight seconds remaining, Isaiah Jackson sent Sengun to the free-throw line with a take foul. Sengun missed both foul shots, but he chased down the second carom.
The rebound shaved half of the remaining time off the clock and resulted in Amen Thompson going to the free-throw line, where he extended the Rockets’ lead to two possessions.
Thompson joined Sengun in recording a double-double, grabbing 11 rebounds to go with his 16 points. He also dished seven assists.
Tari Eason pulled down another 10 rebounds, contributing to Houston’s 56-33 edge on the glass.
While the Rockets dominated on the boards, Indiana remained within striking distance thanks to its takeaway creation. The Pacers forced 16 Houston turnovers that they converted into 26 points, an 18-point advantage over the Rockets’ point total of 10 Indiana giveaways.
Jackson came away with two of his four swipes down the stretch, both leading to Bennedict Mathurin baskets on the other end. Mathurin scored 12 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter.
Pascal Siakam led Indiana with 27 points. Aaron Nesmith added 17 points, and Andrew Nembhard finished with a game-high eight assists to go with seven points.
The Rockets extended their winning streak to three games, and they have five victories in the past six contests. Indiana’s winning streak ended at two as the Pacers fell to 2-1 on a four-game homestand.
