The Houston Rockets are on the outside looking in for the final spot in the play-in tournament and are supreme long shots to win the title at DraftKings at +10000. However, they're only 4.5 games behind the 10th-place Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference, so they do have a puncher's chance to make the postseason.
Houston has won four of its last five games after storming back Sunday for a rousing 112-104 win over the Sacramento Kings after trailing by as many as 13 points.
However, the win came at a cost, as rising young star Alperen Şengün suffered a frightening injury and had to be escorted off the court in a wheelchair. He’ll reportedly undergo an MRI on his right knee and ankle Monday to discover the extent of the injury.
Şengün was injured attempting a two-handed block on Domantas Sabonis in the final minute of action. He landed awkwardly on his right leg and immediately doubled over in visible pain. He writhed on the court grabbing his right knee in visible distress and was eventually wheeled off the court with his head in hands.
Houston drafted Şengün with the 16th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. He improved steadily over his first two seasons, averaging 14.8 points, nine rebounds and 3.9 assists last year. However, he took his games to new heights in his third season, emerging as a rising star with averages of 21.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and five assists per game.
Şengün authored the best game of his young career earlier this week against the San Antonio Spurs. He scored a career-high 45 points while grabbing a season-high 15 boards and career-high five steals while going mano a mano against Rookie of the Year frontrunner Victor Wembanyama.
