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Ime Udoka on Alperen Sengun's problems at the start of the season: “Missed at close range”

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Ime Udoka on Alperen Sengun's problems at the start of the season: “Missed at close range”

“He had direct mistakes that he didn’t have as often last year,” said Rockets head coach Ime Udoka about starting center Alperen Sengun (38.6% FG).

After making a strong NBA All-Star push last season, averaging 32.5 minutes per game, Houston Rockets fourth-year center Alperen Sengun is appearing in his first six appearances of the 2024-25 season only 28.2 minutes.

In Saturday's near-historic comeback against Golden State, Sengun didn't play in the fourth quarter or overtime, with head coach Ime Udoka primarily using a smaller frontcourt lineup with Jabari Smith Jr. at center and the emerging Tari Eason at forward. This agile formation allows for more changes on defense and more leeway on offense.

So what has changed compared to Sengun's much higher usage in 2023-24? Another dynamic is the availability of Eason, who missed most of last season due to injury.

However, another possible reason is that Sengun has not shown the elite efficiency offensively that would compensate for these defensive limitations.

Last season, Sengun posted an overall strike rate of 53.7% and a strike rate of 58.5%. This year, those numbers have dropped to 38.6% and 46.6%, respectively, in a limited sample of six games. He's also averaging just 3.7 assists per game this season, compared to 5.0 last year.

After Saturday's loss, when asked if Sengun could turn their season around, Udoka pointed to their lack of offense (rather than defense). Via Brian Barefield of Rockets Wire and Adam Spolane of Houston's SportsRadio 610:

He definitely needs to find a rhythm. …Whether it's getting in shape to play early in the season might be part of it…but at times he's had complete failures, which he didn't have as many of last year. So we will continue to work with him and give him the right look. Obviously he will pass on it because the quality looks too good. You won't continue to miss them.

Of course, a counter-argument could be that Sengun may need a longer leash and additional shot attempts to get back into his usual attacking rhythm – especially when it comes to his shooting contact on attempts near the rim.

Whatever the case, the team's perspective appears to be that the 2024-25 version of Sengun is not yet at the level offensively that he reached in 2023-24 – and in this environment (particularly with Eason, who also available as an option) also isn't always worth the defensive limitations in high leverage moments.

The next opportunity for Sengun and the Rockets (3-3) to change that narrative early in the season comes Monday night against New York. Tipoff against the Knicks (3-2) is at 7:45 p.m. Central at Toyota Center, where the Rockets will be in the middle of a three-game homestand.

More: “Crazy Energy”: Rockets by Tari Eason, who makes a convincing case for more minutes

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