Nearing real stardom, Şengün reflects on Rockets' belief in him: "Whoever trusts me, or backs me up, I will take care of them all my life."

I am ready for it, and I am just going to fight,” Rockets center Alperen Sengun says of physical play from opponents like Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen.

The venue had changed, but the storyline was playing out the same as the Houston Rockets were in danger of coughing up yet another double-figure lead in the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Rockets' two top scorers have a chance to be voted into the NBA All-Star Game, recognition their teammates say both players earned. So we had them pitch it.

Houston currently has the fourth-best record in the NBA and should probably get at least one of these guys on the West’s All-Star roster. Alperen Şengün one of the best in the west In just his ...

The Houston Rockets have made massive strides as a team on the defensive end of the floor, and that can be accredited to players like Amen Thompson and Dillon B

In a game that saw the Rockets take a 19-point lead, Cleveland was able to tie the contest. Darius Garland at the free throw line with the chance to tie the game with 1:51 left in the contest, a similar situation to Wednesday’s matchup with Houston. Instead of missing two, Garland sank them both at the charity stripe to bring the game even at 124.

Alperen Şengün is a Turkish professional basketball player born on July 25, 2002, in Giresun, Turkey. He plays as a center for the Houston Rockets in the NBA and represents the Turkish national team.

With the Cavaliers down two points, Darius Garland, their potential All-Star guard and 90 percent free-throw shooter, sat alone at the line with the chance to give Cleveland the lead. Even if he failed to make all three free throws, Cleveland, via a Flagrant One on the Rockets, would have the ball with a chance to seal the game.

Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell combined for 72 points in the defeat, losing three in a row for the first time this season.

Pregame news and updates for the second game of the NBA season between the Houston Rockets and Detroit Pistons at Toyota Center.

Alperen Sengun and the Rockets (-2.5) won last week as road favorites in Memphis, and the number has slightly risen for Monday’s rematch in Houston.