<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-news-writer-alperen-sengun-problem-praise');   ga('set', 'title', 'Writer excites Rockets fans with Alperen Sengun ‘problem’ praise');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Alperen-Sengun-bold-predictions-for-Turkeys-EuroBasket-2025-run.jpg"><figcaption>Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Writer excites Rockets fans with Alperen Sengun ‘problem’ praise</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-12T12:41:45-07:00">September 12th, 12:41pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-12T12:42:48-07:00">September 12th, 12:42pm</time><address><a>Zachary Draves</a>Zachary Draves is a sportswriter and broadcaster based in the Quad Cities of Illinois and Iowa. Zachary covers a variety of different sports as well as sports history, sport and society, and sport and culture. He is also a professor of sociology.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Houston Rockets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>For all the talk about Luka Doncic at EuroBasket, Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun was not to be forgotten. His <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-news-alperen-sengun-eurobasket-record-quarterfinals-win-poland" rel="noopener">efforts helped lead Turkey past Poland</a> and onto the semifinals. </p><p>He finished with a triple-double with 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists. Additionally, Sengun became the youngest player to achieve a triple-double at EuroBasket at the age of 23. </p><p>All of which is exciting news for the Rockets and their fans. Rockets writer Sam Amick of The Athletic <a href="https://x.com/sam_amick/status/1966573543292105216" rel="noopener">helped contextualize</a> Sengun’s exploits. Essentially, he made the case that he poses a “problem” for the likes of players such as Giannis. </p><p>Also, Amick said that Kevin Durant would take pride in Sengun’s performance. All the while, he was tweeting out the score of Turkey’s semifinal game against Greece. </p><p>“Sengun is a PROBLEM, for Giannis and everyone else in the basketball world,” Amick posted on X. “The Rockets, and that Kevin Durant guy, have to be loving the way he has looked in EuroBasket. Even with a rare scoring off-game (2 of 11 at the half), he has nine boards, six assists, two steals, and a (Giannis) block. Turkey up 49-31 over Greece in the semifinal.”</p><p>Additionally, Sengun <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-news-ime-udoka-gets-real-about-alperen-senguns-eurobasket-effort" rel="noopener">received praise from Rockets head coach Ime Udoka</a>. </p><h2><b>The Rockets are fortunate to have Alperen Sengun. </b></h2><p>Last year, Sengun averaged 19.1 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. He is an offensive powerhouse and is recognized for his practical scoring abilities. </p><p>With the addition of Kevin Durant, the Rockets have an indomitable force to be reckoned with. Also, Sengun has a way of attracting the defense in the paint and, in turn, can create opportunities for Durant and others on the perimeter. </p><p>Additionally, Sengun is starting to grow more and more as a defensive weapon. In 2021, the Rockets selected Sengun as the 16th overall pick in the NBA Draft. </p><p>This was after they had traded two first-round picks to the Oklahoma City Thunder. </p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Writer excites Rockets fans with Alperen Sengun ‘problem’ praise

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-news-ime-udoka-gets-real-about-alperen-senguns-eurobasket-effort');   ga('set', 'title', 'Rockets’ Ime Udoka gets real about Alperen Sengun’s EuroBasket effort');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Rockets-head-coach-Ime-Udoka_4697a8.jpg"><figcaption>Troy Taormina-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Rockets’ Ime Udoka gets real about Alperen Sengun’s EuroBasket effort</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-11T22:11:33-07:00">September 11th, 10:11pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-11T22:11:33-07:00">September 11th, 10:11pm</time><address><a href="https://letterboxd.com/splooshpuhrty/films/by/your-rating/">Jedd Pagaduan</a>Jedd Pagaduan is a certified Clippers and Gunners fan, which means he's a very sports-traumatized individual. He now writes about sports instead as a form of therapy.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Houston Rockets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Turkey is in the semi-final of 2025 EuroBasket, and it’s thanks in large part to how <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/eurobasket-news-alperen-sengun-honest-admission-elite-effort">Alperen Sengun looks to be an even better player</a> than he was when he made his first All-Star Game en route to leading the Houston Rockets to a 52-30 record and the two-seed in the Western Conference. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/eurobasket-news-shane-larkin-blunt-take-on-alperen-senguns-baby-jokic-nickname">Rockets star is shedding his “Baby Jokic” nickname</a> and has become “Daddy Sengun”, and he continued his international star turn with a 19-point, 12-rebound, 10-assist performance in a 91-77 win over Poland in the quarterfinals of the competition.</p><p>However, this side of Sengun is a familiar one; he has stuffed plenty of stat sheets in the past, especially last season when he put up 19.1 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game for the Rockets. It’s in the defensive side of the ball where Rockets head coach Ime Udoka is seeing plenty of strides from the Turkish star, and this would <a href="https://twitter.com/BinkleyHoops/status/1966189720699814169" rel="noopener">go a long way</a> towards fueling Houston’s championship hopes for next season.</p><p>“For him, we want him to work on specific things. The way they guard him over in Eurobasket, he’s doing a great job of getting high assist numbers, being very efficient. … [He also] had some really big end of the game plays defensively that won them games it’s great to see the work he put in be rewarded,” Udoka said of Sengun’s EuroBasket performance, via Lachard Binkley of Sports Illustrated.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Here Ime talks about what he discussed with Alperen Sengun and what he has seen from his during EuroBasket.</p><p>“Had some really big end of the game plays defensively that won them games it’s great to see the work he put in be rewarded.” <a href="https://t.co/dlMwGqicPL">pic.twitter.com/dlMwGqicPL</a></p><p>— Lachard Binkley (@BinkleyHoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/BinkleyHoops/status/1966189720699814169?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Sengun has been a bit of a defensive liability in the past, but it looks like age is bringing him wisdom on that end of the floor. Turkey would not have made it that far into the competition if he hadn’t been holding his own defensively, and this has to make Rockets fans that much excited for what lies ahead.</p><h2>Alperen Sengun looks to carry over Turkey’s EuroBasket success into Rockets</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Giannis-vs.-Alperen-Sengun.jpg"><figcaption>Troy Taormina-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Last year, the Rockets may have been the two-seed but they failed to make it past the first round<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/nba-news-l2m-report-call-draymond-green-defensive-stand-alperen-sengun-warriors-rockets">. Sengun showed so much grit in fighting the likes of Draymond Green</a> and Kevon Looney in the paint, but in the end it simply wasn’t enough to shove Houston past their archrival, the Golden State Warriors.</p><p>But 2025 EuroBasket continued to show that Sengun does elevate his game when the lights are at their brightest. But on Friday is when Sengun’s biggest defensive test of the summer will come when Turkey faces Giannis Antetokounmpo and Greece in the semifinals of the competition.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Rockets’ Ime Udoka gets real about Alperen Sengun’s EuroBasket effort

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-news-kendrick-perkins-declares-alperen-sengun-top-5-high-level-defense');   ga('set', 'title', 'Kendrick Perkins declares Rockets’ Alperen Sengun a ‘top-5 big’ due to ‘high-level defense’');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Rockets-All-Star-Alperen-Sengun-1.jpg"><figcaption>Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Kendrick Perkins declares Rockets’ Alperen Sengun a ‘top-5 big’ due to ‘high-level defense’</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-11T09:19:09-07:00">September 11th, 9:19am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-11T09:19:09-07:00">September 11th, 9:19am</time><address><a>Josue Pavon</a>Josue Pavon is an Associate Editor and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat writer for ClutchPoints. He started his career as a credentialed media member writing about the Boston Celtics for WEEI.com in Boston, where he grew into a local on-camera NBA reporter and podcast host for CLNS Media. Alongside the Celtics radio broadcaster and two-time NBA champion Cedric Maxwell, Josue is the co-host of the Cedric Maxwell podcast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Houston Rockets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>In his fourth season, Houston Rockets forward Alperen Sengun ascended into an All-Star, which garnered ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins’ respect and appreciation for the 22-year-old’s impact. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/eurobasket-news-shane-larkin-blunt-take-on-alperen-senguns-baby-jokic-nickname">Sengun has earned the nickname Baby Jokic</a>, highlighting his dual offensive capabilities as a scorer and playmaker on one end and an elite rebounder and defender on the other.</p><p>For Perkins, Sengun’s <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1966146982927532281" rel="noopener">ascension as a two-way All-Star</a> is a big reason why he considers the Rockets to be championship contenders heading into the 2025-26 campaign, he said, per ESPN’s NBA Today.</p><p>“[Alperen Sengun] is a top 5 big in the NBA. You know why? Not just because of the points, not just because of the rebounds and the assists, but he actually plays defense at a high level,” Perkins said. “Watch and see how great he is in the pick-and-roll as far as him henging out his traps, being able to switch one through five, and slide those damn puppies. Alperen Sengun is the real deal.</p><p>“It’s a reason why we have the Rockets so high as far as being championship contenders. In my eyes, they’re right there under OKC, knocking at the door, and a big reason not just because of KD and Amen Thompson. It’s because they have a top five big in the league in baby Jokic in Alperen Sengun,” Pekins concluded.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">[Alperen Sengun] is a top 5 big in the NBA. You know why? Not just because of the points, not just because of the rebounds and the assists, but he actually plays defense at a high level."</p><p>Agree with Kendrick Perkins? 🤔</p><p>(via <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNNBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ESPNNBA</a>)<a href="https://t.co/5LdiKGMyhg">pic.twitter.com/5LdiKGMyhg</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1966146982927532281?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Ahead of the upcoming season, the Rockets and the Nuggets are projected to be the champion Thunder’s biggest threat in the Western Conference. With the addition of All-Star Kevin Durant alongside their young All-Star big who’s years from reaching his prime, Houston’s positioned to compete for a title.</p><h2><b>Shane Larkin’s blunt take on Rockets’ Alperen Sengun’s nickname</b></h2><p>After <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/eurobasket-news-alperen-sengun-thing-clear-nikola-jokic-win">Alperen Sengun and Turkey beat Nikola Jokic</a> and Serbia in this year’s EuroBasket, Sengun’s teammate and former NBA guard Shane Larkin addressed the “Baby Jokic” nickname. Larkin <a href="https://www.eurohoops.net/en/eurobasket/1864072/shane-larkin-explains-why-alperen-sengun-isnt-baby-jokic-anymore/" rel="noopener">explained why</a> he doesn’t think Alperen would appreciate it, per EuroHoops.</p><p>“I don’t think he would want that nickname. You can see the similarities with their games. Alperen has big aspirations. Alperen is a very confident kid,” Larkin said. “Alperen has a very high level of basketball skill and a very high level of talent. The sky is the limit for him. I don’t think he’s anywhere near his ceiling. I think he’s going to continue to evolve and get better and better.”</p><p>Alongside Kevin Durant, Sengun will look to lead the Rockets into a deep playoff run in 2026.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Kendrick Perkins declares Rockets’ Alperen Sengun a ‘top-5 big’ due to ‘high-level defense’

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/houston-rockets/alperen-sengun-bold-predictions-turkey-eurobasket-semifinal-greece');   ga('set', 'title', '3 Alperen Şengün bold predictions for Turkey’s EuroBasket semifinal vs. Greece');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/3-Alperen-Sengun-bold-predictions-for-Turkey-s-EuroBasket-semifinal-vs-Greece.jpg"></figure><h1>3 Alperen Şengün bold predictions for Turkey’s EuroBasket semifinal vs. Greece</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-11T06:11:06-07:00">September 11th, 6:11am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-11T06:11:06-07:00">September 11th, 6:11am</time><address><a>Rohan Brahmbhatt</a>Rohan Brahmbhatt is an adventure-driven sports writer, passionate footballer, mountaineer, and photojournalist. Rohan blends firsthand experience with storytelling—capturing the intensity of sport and the thrill of exploration. Whether on the field, a mountain trail, or behind the lens, he brings authentic, high-energy narratives that connect readers to the heart of the action.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The stage could not be bigger for Alperen Şengün and Turkey. After a perfect 7-0 run that has surprised Europe and elevated the national team into legitimate title contention, Turkey now finds itself standing across from Greece, a powerhouse led by Giannis Antetokounmpo, in the EuroBasket semifinals. What has been a storybook tournament for Şengün and his teammates will be tested against arguably the most dominant player in the competition.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/eurobasket-news-aleperen-sengun-downplays-feat-poland">Şengün has been sensational</a>, averaging 21.6 points, 10.9 rebounds, and <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/en/events/fiba-eurobasket-2025/teams/turkiye/253997-alperen-sengun" rel="noopener">7.1 assists</a> across seven games while carrying Turkey with both his versatility and leadership. He has delivered consistent double-double performances, outdueled stars, and showcased an all-around brilliance that reflects the modern center’s role in international basketball. Yet the semifinal is an entirely different beast. Facing Giannis, Kostas Sloukas, and a Greek squad filled with both experience and athleticism, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-news-alperen-sengun-eurobasket-record-quarterfinals-win-poland">Şengün will need to push his game even further</a>.</p><p>The matchup is not just about advancing to the final; it is about validating Turkey’s arrival on the European stage. Here are three bold predictions for Alperen Şengün’s semifinal showdown with Greece.</p><h2><b>Alperen Şengün records a triple-double in the semifinal</b></h2><p>Throughout the tournament, Şengün has been more than just a scorer or rebounder. His passing ability has stood out as Turkey’s offensive hub, tallying 50 assists in seven games, an astonishing average of 7.1 per contest. Against Poland in the quarterfinal, he dished out 10 assists while still controlling the boards and finding his offense in the paint. That ability to orchestrate the game makes him Turkey’s version of a point-center, a rare weapon that has carried them through tight stretches.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Alperen Sengun (19 PTS, 12 REB, 10 AST) guides Türkiye back to the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroBasket?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroBasket</a> Semi-Finals for the first time in 24 years with a historic triple-double! <a href="https://t.co/bdC2jeQCe2">pic.twitter.com/bdC2jeQCe2</a></p><p>— FIBA EuroBasket (@EuroBasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroBasket/status/1965452268230115405?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Against Greece, Şengün will face relentless defensive pressure. Giannis is a terror in transition, but in half-court sets, Greece will likely deploy multiple defenders to cut off Şengün’s post touches and force the ball out of his hands. This challenge could actually play into his strengths, as his vision from the high post and low block can punish overhelping defenders. Spotting shooters like Shane Larkin and Tyler Dorsey, or slipping pocket passes to cutters, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/eurobasket-news-alperen-sengun-honest-admission-elite-effort">Şengün can dismantle defensive rotations</a>.</p><p>That makes the prediction of a triple-double very much alive. With his current averages, reaching the mark would only require one extraordinary all-around performance: a line like 20 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists is entirely within reach. In fact, Şengün’s impact on this game may be measured more by how effectively he involves others than by his scoring alone. Against Greece’s size and athleticism, Turkey’s best chance lies in ball movement, and Şengün will be the engine.</p><h2><b>Alperen Şengün outrebounds Giannis in the battle of the paint</b></h2><p>This semifinal could very well be decided by who controls the glass. Giannis has been monstrous for Greece, averaging 9.8 rebounds through the tournament and dominating physically at both ends. Yet Şengün has quietly been one of the top rebounders of the entire EuroBasket, averaging nearly 11 boards a game while anchoring Turkey’s interior defense.</p><p>What makes this prediction bold is not that Şengün is a good rebounder, but that he will outperform Giannis in this category in the most high-stakes game yet. Greece thrives on second-chance points and transition opportunities created from defensive rebounds. If Şengün can not only match but surpass Giannis on the boards, Turkey can limit those easy scoring chances and tilt the possession battle in their favor.</p><p>This is where Şengün’s positioning, timing, and sheer relentlessness matter. While Giannis often grabs rebounds through overwhelming athleticism, Şengün has shown an elite ability to read trajectories and carve out space with his body. Against Serbia earlier in the group stage, he hauled in 13 rebounds against a bigger frontline, showing he can rise to the occasion against elite competition.</p><p>A bold but reasonable prediction is that Şengün will finish with 14 or 15 rebounds, compared to Giannis’ 10 or 11. It may sound like a small margin, but in a semifinal decided by fine details, this edge could keep Turkey alive deep into the fourth quarter.</p><h2><b>Şengün scores 25+ points despite Greece’s defense</b></h2><p>The final bold prediction is that Alperen Şengün will not just facilitate and rebound but also deliver a huge scoring night. Greece’s defense is designed to protect the paint and collapse on post threats, but Şengün has developed too many tools to be neutralized. His touch around the rim, craft with fakes, and ability to stretch the defense with mid-range jumpers make him difficult to contain with single coverage.</p><p>Through seven games, he has already had multiple 25+ point performances while facing physical defenses like Serbia’s and Sweden’s. Greece will likely throw various bodies at him: Giannis, Georgios Papagiannis, and others, but Şengün has shown the patience to outlast those efforts. His free-throw shooting (76.7% on the tournament) also makes him a reliable scoring option late in games, where every possession is magnified.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="tr">Alperen Sengun dominates in Türkiye's <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroBasket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroBasket</a> win!</p><p>23 PTS<br>12 REB<br>9 AST<br>2 BLK<br>88.9 FG% (8-9 FGM) <a href="https://t.co/OQv1023tO6">pic.twitter.com/OQv1023tO6</a></p><p>— NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1961499413169479958?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 29, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>The bold call here is that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-news-turkey-coach-alperen-sengun-hype-houston-fans">Şengün rises above the defensive challenge</a> and cracks 25 points in the semifinal, even if it comes on a mix of field goals and trips to the line. A scoring line like 26 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists is not out of the question. Even if Greece ultimately wins the game, Şengün’s performance will cement his reputation as one of the premier stars of EuroBasket 2025.</p><h2><b>The bigger picture</b></h2><p>This semifinal is not just about statistics; it is about Turkey proving that its undefeated run is not a fluke. For years, Turkish basketball has searched for a generational talent who can redefine its global identity, and Şengün is becoming that player. The matchup against Giannis is both symbolic and competitive: the established NBA superstar against the rising young big man whose game is as unique as it is effective.</p><p>While the prediction here is that Greece edges out Turkey to advance to the final, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/alperen-sengun-bold-predictions-turkeys-eurobasket-quarterfinal-poland">Şengün’s role in the contest</a> will define how close the game becomes. If he can deliver on these bold predictions: a triple-double, an edge on the glass, and 25+ points. Turkey could very well pull off the upset. Either way, this game will be remembered as Şengün’s true arrival on the international stage, a performance that showcases his growth and foreshadows his dominance for years to come.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

3 Alperen Şengün bold predictions for Turkey’s EuroBasket semifinal vs. Greece

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-news-patrick-beverley-houston-reunion-almost-happened');   ga('set', 'title', 'Patrick Beverley claims Rockets reunion almost happened');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Beverley-shoots.jpg"><figcaption>David Richard-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Patrick Beverley claims Rockets reunion almost happened</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-10T08:33:38-07:00">September 10th, 8:33am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-10T08:33:38-07:00">September 10th, 8:33am</time><address><a>Jackson Stone</a>Jackson Stone is a Mercer University alum from Atlanta who graduated with a BA in communications. A lifelong sports lover, Jackson is a die-hard fan of all Atlanta teams. He joined ClutchPoints in 2023.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Houston Rockets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-news-young-star-predicted-win-most-improved-player"> Houston Rockets have had</a> quite the busy offseason, headlined by their trade for disgruntled Phoenix Suns star <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/nba-news-patrick-beverley-thinks-kevin-durant-vs-larry-bird-isnt-close">Kevin Durant in an</a> attempt to turn their team into a legitimate contender in the Western Conference. Houston is now less than six weeks away from opening night, when Durant will have to watch his former team, the Oklahoma City Thunder, hang their first NBA championship banner.</p><p>The Rockets’ roster is essentially filled out as the season nears, but recently, a former member of the team detailed how <a href="https://basketnews.com/news-231137-patrick-beverley-reveals-nba-failed-comeback-attempt-in-2025-free-agency.html" rel="noopener">he almost reunited</a> with the organization this offseason before things fell apart.</p><p>“I was in Houston working out with the Rockets for the last two, three weeks,” said former NBA point guard Patrick Beverley during a Twitch stream with N3on, per Basket News. “I was really close. But with the cap, they don’t have a lot of space. They can’t really guarantee, because I think they first apron. But I was really, really close.”</p><p>Patrick Beverley was on the Rockets for several years during the mid-2010s, helping them make a run to the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2015 season. He spent last year playing overseas and last played in the NBA for the Milwaukee Bucks.</p><h2><b>Can the Rockets win it all?</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/ockets-All-Star-Kevin-Durant1.jpg"><figcaption>Kirby Lee-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Houston Rockets surprised many this past NBA season by securing the number two overall seed in the Western Conference, led by an elite defense and some savvy coaching from Ime Udoka.</p><p>Unfortunately, all of the skeptics about Houston’s ability to produce offense in the half court during a playoff setting turned out to be correct, with Jalen Green crashing and burning in spectacular fashion during the Rockets’ first round loss to the Golden State Warriors.</p><p>Green went on to become the main piece of the deal that brought Durant to Houston, and now with a legitimate go-to scorer who can get a bucket when the offense breaks down, Houston is hoping that this is the year they will finally re-enter the NBA title discussion after several years of being on the outside looking in.</p><p>Houston’s season is set to begin on October 21 in Oklahoma City.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Patrick Beverley claims Rockets reunion almost happened

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-news-alperen-sengun-eurobasket-record-quarterfinals-win-poland');   ga('set', 'title', 'Rockets’ Alperen Sengun sets EuroBasket record in quarterfinals win vs. Poland');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Rockets-news-Alperen-Sengun-sets-EuroBasket-record-in-quarterfinals-win-vs-Poland.jpg"><figcaption>Troy Taormina-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Rockets’ Alperen Sengun sets EuroBasket record in quarterfinals win vs. Poland</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-09T23:34:33-07:00">September 9th, 11:34pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-09T23:34:33-07:00">September 9th, 11:34pm</time><address><a>Paolo Mariano</a>Paolo Mariano is a freelance writer, editor, and producer based in Manila, Philippines. He is a journalism graduate from the University of Santo Tomas and the father of a young girl whose personality swings from Simone Biles to Dillon Brooks. A beacon of objectivity, he believes Penny Hardaway is the true NBA GOAT.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Houston Rockets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Somewhere out there, fans of the Houston Rockets are rubbing their palms as they eagerly await another huge year for center Alperen Sengun. Many are expecting him to play even better, especially with his <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/eurobasket-news-alperen-sengun-thing-clear-nikola-jokic-win">outstanding stint for Turkey in the EuroBasket</a>.</p><p>Turkey, which has yet to lose in the tournament, advanced to the semifinals for the first time since 2001 after beating Poland, 91-77, in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.</p><p>Sengun had another elite performance, finishing with a triple-double of 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists. At 23 years old, he <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/en/events/fiba-eurobasket-2025/news/sengun-becomes-youngest-player-to-post-eurobasket-triple-double" rel="noopener">became the youngest player</a> in the history of the EuroBasket to register a triple-double, according to FIBA.</p><p>He surpassed Slovenia’s Luka Doncic and Croatia’s Toni Kukoc, who were both 26 years old when they achieved the mark.</p><p>The Rockets pivot also became just the fifth player in the history of the tournament to tally a triple-double, joining Doncic, Kukoc, Poland’s Mateusz Ponitka, and Romania’s Andrei Mandache.</p><p>Despite another impressive showing, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/eurobasket-news-aleperen-sengun-downplays-feat-poland">Sengun stressed that he’s only focused on the win</a>.</p><p>Turkey will face Greece in the semifinals, setting up what should be an intense encounter between Sengun and Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo. Greece defeated Lithuania, 87-76, in the quarterfinals to advance to the Final Four for the first time since 2009.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-news-turkey-coach-alperen-sengun-hype-houston-fans">Sengun is a frontrunner for the MVP trophy</a>. He’s averaging team-highs of 21.6 points, 10.9 rebounds, 7.1 assists, and 1.6 steals.</p><p>He may have been downplaying his all-around greatness, but his teammate and former NBA player Furkan Korkmaz knows that with Sengun at the forefront, they can go all the way to the title.</p><p>“We were calling this the ‘golden generation,’ saying ‘it’s coming, it’s coming, we have time.’ But now, it’s our time. Every day that we step on the court, we are showing it. We are not just winning the games, we’re also enjoying the way that we play basketball,” said Korkmaz in a report from FIBA.</p><p>Turkey and Greece will battle on Friday.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Rockets’ Alperen Sengun sets EuroBasket record in quarterfinals win vs. Poland

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/houston-rockets/eurobasket-news-aleperen-sengun-downplays-feat-poland');   ga('set', 'title', 'Alperen Sengun downplays eye-popping feat vs. Poland');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Alperen-Sengun-bold-predictions-for-Turkeys-EuroBasket-2025-run.jpg"><figcaption>Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Alperen Sengun downplays eye-popping feat vs. Poland</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-09T16:55:40-07:00">September 9th, 4:55pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-09T16:55:40-07:00">September 9th, 4:55pm</time><address><a>David Yapkowitz</a>David Yapkowitz is an NBA Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He is a credentialed reporter based in Los Angeles who covers the NBA/WNBA, NCAA/NCAAW and boys/girls high school basketball.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Houston Rockets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>A handful of top NBA stars such as Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo are currently playing at EuroBasket with their respective national teams. Houston Rockets rising star Alperen Sengun is participating at EuroBasket with Turkey, and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/eurobasket-news-alperen-sengun-honest-admission-elite-effort">he recently put up a triple double</a> against Poland to lead Turkey to the semifinals.</p><p>Alperen Sengun’s triple double in Turkey’s win against Poland was only the sixth triple double in EuroBasket history, but after the game he was <a href="https://www.eurohoops.net/en/eurobasket/1866599/alperen-sengun-says-teammates-urged-him-to-get-one-more-rebound-for-triple-double/" rel="noopener">quick to give credit</a> to his teammates, as per EuroHoops.net.</p><p>“I have really good teammates, they’re the ones who tell me,” Sengun said. “I didn’t start by scoring; they really helped me. I just kept finding my teammates. At some point, they were telling me, ‘Get one more rebound.” I’m happy that we won the game. The triple double doesn’t mean much right now.”</p><p>Against Poland, Segun finished with 19 points, 12 rebounds and ten assists, displaying the type of all-around game that has made him one of the most intriguing young big men in the NBA. With the win, Turkey advances to the EuroBasket Semifinals against Antetokounmpo and Greece on Friday.</p><p>In the other quarterfinal bracket, Doncic and Slovenia will face-off against Germany, while Finland will take on Georgia. The winner of that semifinal bracket will then match up against the winner of Turkey and Greece.</p><p>This past NBA season Sengun was selected to his first All-Star appearance. He recorded four triple doubles in 2024-25, after putting up a combined four in his first three NBA seasons. Against the Minnesota Timberwolves back on Nov. 26, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-news-alperen-sengun-triple-double-history-not-even-nikola-jokic-achieved">Sengun made NBA history as the youngest player</a> to get a triple double.</p><p>Sengun appeared in 76 games for the Rockets last year at a little over 31 minutes per game. He averaged 19.1 points, 10.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.1 steals with splits of 49.6 percent shooting from the field, 23.3 percent shooting from the the three-point line and 69.2 percent shooting from the free-throw line.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Alperen Sengun downplays eye-popping feat vs. Poland

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/philadelphia-76ers/76ers-news-joel-embiid-ex-teammate-says-alperen-sengun-now-the-better-center');   ga('set', 'title', 'Joel Embiid’s ex-76ers teammate says Alperen Sengun is ‘now’ the better center');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Joel-Embiids-ex-teammate-says-Alperen-Sengun-is-now-the-better-center.jpg"><figcaption>ClutchPoints</figcaption></figure><h1>Joel Embiid’s ex-76ers teammate says Alperen Sengun is ‘now’ the better center</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-09T11:50:31-07:00">September 9th, 11:50am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-09T11:50:31-07:00">September 9th, 11:50am</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Houston Rockets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Former Philadelphia 76ers guard Furkan Korkmaz declared Houston Rockets star Alperen Sengun <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1965460139215102360" rel="noopener">“now” the best center</a> he has played with, surpassing former MVP Joel Embiid, following Türkiye’s 91-77 EuroBasket 2025 quarterfinal win over Poland.</p><p>Korkmaz, who contributed 10 points in the victory, praised Sengun’s impact on both ends of the court.</p><p>“Until now I think Joel Embiid was the best player, the best center that I was playing [with], but I think we can tell that it’s Alperen now,” Korkmaz said. “It’s great to be around him, you know, he’s enjoying playing basketball, he helps us a lot on the court defensively and offensively. I think he’s a special kid and everyday he’s trying to give his maximum and this year we are also seeing that he’s playing aggressive defense too not only offense and that gives us a lot of confidence on the frontcourt that we pressure the ball well and he’s helping us from different ways. I hope that he still has a long way to go – he’s gonna grow a lot and then we’re going to see much better basketball from this year to next year, next year to another year. He’s gonna keep adding it.”</p><p>Sengun has reinforced that sentiment with historic production at EuroBasket 2025. The 23-year-old became one of only two players to record a triple-double in this year’s tournament, joining <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/eurobasket-news-luka-doncic-alperen-sengun-accomplish-feat-not-since-1995">Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic in accomplishing a feat not seen since 1995</a>. Against Poland, Sengun finished with 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists along with three steals while shooting 6-for-14 from the field.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">“Until now, I think Joel Embiid was the best player – best center that I was playing [with]. But I think we can tell that it’s Alperen [Sengun] now.”</p><p>Former 76er Furkan Korkmaz 👀</p><p>(via <a href="https://twitter.com/Eurohoopsnet?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Eurohoopsnet</a>)<a href="https://t.co/hUkHULWHXO">pic.twitter.com/hUkHULWHXO</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1965460139215102360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><h2><b>Furkan Korkmaz says Alperen Sengun is better center than Joel Embiid after EuroBasket showing</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Rockets-center-Alperen-Sengun-28-drives-to-the-basket-against-Philadelphia-76ers-center-Joel-Embiid-21.jpg"><figcaption>© Eric Hartline-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Overall, Sengun ranks among the top performers in the competition. He holds the seventh-highest scoring average at 21.6 points, the second-highest rebounding average at 10.9, and the third-highest assist mark at 7.1. He has added one steal per game while shooting 59.6% from the field and 37.5% from three-point range.</p><p>His <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/eurobasket-news-alperen-sengun-thing-clear-nikola-jokic-win">EuroBasket form</a> follows a breakout fourth NBA season. Sengun averaged 19.1 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 4.9 assists across 76 games with Houston, helping the Rockets to a 52-30 record and the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. He earned his first All-Star selection and will enter his fifth season in Houston alongside Kevin Durant, acquired in a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-news-gm-rafael-stone-surprising-confession-kevin-durant-trade">blockbuster trade with the Phoenix Suns earlier this offseason</a>.</p><p>Embiid, now 31, endured a difficult 2024-25 campaign with Philadelphia, appearing in just 19 games due to a persistent knee injury. He averaged 23.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists while shooting 44.4% from the field. His long-term outlook remains uncertain, though <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/philadelphia-76ers/76ers-news-nick-nurse-unsure-joel-embiid-ready-camp-despite-positive-update">76ers head coach Nick Nurse recently described his progress</a> as “very, very hard-working” and “positive.”</p><p>Philadelphia opens its season Oct. 22 against the Boston Celtics. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-news-kevin-durant-takes-jab-thunder-response-ring-night-matchup">Rockets will begin their campaign a night earlier in Oklahoma City</a>, where the Thunder will hold their championship ceremony before hosting Sengun, Durant, and a retooled Houston squad.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Joel Embiid’s ex-76ers teammate says Alperen Sengun is ‘now’ the better center

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/nba-stories/eurobasket-news-alperen-sengun-honest-admission-elite-effort');   ga('set', 'title', 'Alperen Sengun’s brutally honest admission after elite EuroBasket effort');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Alperen-Sengun-bold-predictions-for-Turkeys-EuroBasket-2025-run.jpg"><figcaption>Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Alperen Sengun’s brutally honest admission after elite EuroBasket effort</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-09T11:23:06-07:00">September 9th, 11:23am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-09T11:23:06-07:00">September 9th, 11:23am</time><address><a href="https://www.facebook.com/joey.mistretta/" rel="facebook">Joey Mistretta</a>Joey Mistretta is a Dallas Mavericks beat reporter, Dallas Wings beat reporter and lead MLB editor for ClutchPoints. He is originally from Lake Arrowhead, California. Mistretta graduated from Biola University with a degree in broadcast journalism.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Houston Rockets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Houston Rockets center <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/eurobasket-news-luka-doncic-alperen-sengun-accomplish-feat-not-since-1995">Alperen Sengun led Turkey to a EuroBasket victory</a> on Tuesday. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/alperen-sengun-bold-predictions-turkey-eurobasket-2025-run">Sengun entered EuroBasket with high expectations</a>, and he certainly played well in Turkey’s 91-77 win over Poland. The big man finished the game with a 19-point, 12-rebound, 10-assist triple-double. After the contest, Sengun <a href="https://x.com/NBA/status/1965472474768035946" rel="noopener">commented on his performance</a>, via the NBA.</p><p>“I’m a team player, so I’m gonna do whatever it takes to win,” Sengun told reporters. “So, you know, if it’s defense day, defense day… offense day, offense day. I don’t care. Whatever you tell me, I do.”</p><p>However, although he had a tremendous performance, Sengun made it clear that his priority was to lead his team to a victory.</p><p>“It didn’t mean anything if we would have lose today and I got the triple-double,” Sengun added. “So, I’m happy we won. And I give my everything defense and offense, so I’m just happy.”</p><p>Alperen Sengun has continued to improve without question. At just 23 years old, he is already regarded as one of the better centers in the NBA. The Rockets big man earned his first career All-Star selection during the 2024-25 campaign, averaging 19.1 points, 10.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.1 steals per outing.</p><p>The Rockets’ future is bright with Sengun on the roster. He has yet to reach the prime of his career and is already an All-Star. Sengun’s ceiling is high to say the least.</p><p>At the moment, he is displaying his impressive all-around prowess in EuroBasket. Alperen Sengun and Turkey will look to continue playing well as the tournament moves forward.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Alperen Sengun’s brutally honest admission after elite EuroBasket effort

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/nba-stories/eurobasket-news-luka-doncic-alperen-sengun-accomplish-feat-not-since-1995');   ga('set', 'title', 'Luka Doncic, Alperen Sengun accomplish EuroBasket feat not seen since 1995');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Luka-Doncic-Alperen-Sengun-accomplish-feat-not-seen-since-1995.jpg"><figcaption>ClutchPoints</figcaption></figure><h1>Luka Doncic, Alperen Sengun accomplish EuroBasket feat not seen since 1995</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-09T09:44:46-07:00">September 9th, 9:44am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-09T09:44:46-07:00">September 9th, 9:44am</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Houston Rockets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic and Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun have etched their names into EuroBasket history, becoming the <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1965438277928001872" rel="noopener">first players since 1995</a> to each record a triple-double in the same tournament.</p><p>Sengun secured the milestone Tuesday as Türkiye advanced to the semifinals with a 91-77 victory over Poland. The 23-year-old center delivered a commanding performance, finishing with 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists. He added three steals while shooting 6-for-14 from the field and 7-for-9 from the free throw line in 30 minutes. Sengun posted an efficiency rating of 33 and a plus/minus of +15, spearheading Türkiye’s unbeaten run to 5-0.</p><p>His triple-double joined Doncic’s earlier accomplishment, marking the first time since the mid-1990s that multiple players have achieved the statistical feat in a single EuroBasket.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/eurobasket-news-luka-doncic-makes-history-triple-double">Doncic recorded his triple-double on August 31</a> in Slovenia’s 86-69 Group D victory over Belgium. In that contest, he totaled 26 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds while collecting three steals. He shot 9-for-23 from the field and 6-for-9 from the free throw line in just 26 minutes, registering another dominant all-around display for his national team.</p><p>While Doncic has consistently flirted with triple-doubles throughout the tournament, his performance against Belgium stood out as one of the signature moments of Slovenia’s group stage campaign. The Lakers guard has remained central to Slovenia’s offensive production, frequently orchestrating plays while maintaining scoring efficiency.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">The only players in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroBasket?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroBasket</a> 2025 to drop a triple-double:</p><p>🇸🇮 Luka Doncic<br>🇹🇷 Alperen Sengun</p><p>It’s the first time there have been multiple triple-doubles in EuroBasket since 1995.<a href="https://twitter.com/EuroBasket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroBasket</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/courtside1891?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@courtside1891</a> <a href="https://t.co/CIWOphE02j">pic.twitter.com/CIWOphE02j</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1965438277928001872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><h2><b>Luka Doncic, Alperen Sengun’s triple-doubles mark EuroBasket feat last achieved in 1995</b></h2><p>For Sengun, the triple-double represented both a personal milestone and a historic moment for Türkiye. The Rockets big man has emerged as a centerpiece for the national team, combining his scoring touch with passing vision and defensive presence. His contributions were vital in dispatching Poland, securing Türkiye’s place in the final four for the first time in nearly two decades.</p><p>Türkiye (5-0) now awaits the winner of Wednesday’s <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/milwaukee-bucks/giannis-antetokounmpo-bold-predictions-greece-eurobasket-lithuania">clash between Greece and Lithuania</a> to determine its semifinal opponent. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/milwaukee-bucks/eurobasket-news-giannis-thunderous-alley-oop-caps-off-37-point-domination-as-greece-advances">Greece, led by Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo</a>, and Lithuania, anchored by Denver Nuggets center Jonas Valanciunas, both carry 4-1 records into the matchup.</p><p>Slovenia (3-2), meanwhile, prepares for its <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/franz-wagner-bold-predictions-germany-eurobasket-quarterfinal-slovenia">quarterfinal contest against Germany (5-0)</a>. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/eurobasket-news-franz-wagner-leads-germany-into-eurobasket-quarterfinals">German squad features Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner and Sacramento Kings guard Dennis Schroder</a>, presenting a formidable test for Doncic and his teammates.</p><p>The twin triple-doubles from Doncic and Sengun have added a historical dimension to EuroBasket 2025, highlighting the tournament’s increasing depth of talent. Their achievements underscore the rise of international stars who now serve as cornerstones for NBA franchises while continuing to deliver standout performances on the European stage.</p><p>As the semifinals approach, EuroBasket 2025 remains defined not only by team success but also by individual brilliance. Doncic and Sengun’s place in history marks the first such feat since 1995, a reminder of the rarity and significance of their performances.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Luka Doncic, Alperen Sengun accomplish EuroBasket feat not seen since 1995

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-10-greatest-players-franchise-history-ranked');   ga('set', 'title', '10 greatest Rockets in franchise history, ranked');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/10-greatest-Rockets-in-franchise-history-ranked.jpg"></figure><h1>10 greatest Rockets in franchise history, ranked</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-08T15:05:54-07:00">September 8th, 3:05pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-08T15:10:55-07:00">September 8th, 3:10pm</time><address><a>Tim Crean</a>Tim Crean started writing about sports in 2016 and joined ClutchPoints in 2022. He excels with his versatile coverage of the NFL, NBA, soccer, sports media, and more. As a longtime self-professed sports junkie, it is a dream to write about sports professionally. He’s a lifelong Buffalo Bills fan from Western New York and when he’s not enjoying a round of golf he's probably coaching youth soccer or flag football. You can catch all of his sports-related musings on Twitter at @twcrean.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Houston Rockets fans have seen some of the best <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/the-tallest-players-nba-history" rel="noopener">(and biggest) players</a> in NBA history. Some of these players were the first to bring an NBA title to the Lone Star State, while others simply dominated and entertained in their era. But who are the best and greatest Rockets players in history? We’ll try to figure that out here with the all-time top-10 Rockets player rankings.</p><p>The 10 greatest players in Rockets history are based on what the players did in a Rockets uniform and how they contributed to the franchise. So while <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/suns-news-chris-paul-drops-truth-bomb-on-possibility-of-joining-nba-75th-anniversary-team" rel="noopener">Chris Paul is a top-75 player</a> in NBA history, his two seasons with the Rockets don’t put him on this list.</p><p>After <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-news-kevin-durant-trade-suns-jalen-green">trading for Kevin Durant</a>, he may end up on this list someday, but until then, here are the 10 greatest Rockets players in <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/HOU/">team history</a>, ranked.</p><h2><b>10. Tracy McGrady</b></h2><p>T-Mac is a Hall of Fame player who had his best seasons with the Orlando Magic, where he won two scoring titles. However, for six seasons in Houston, Tracy McGrady was one of the best players in the league, even though playoff success never came.</p><p>McGrady moved to Houston at 25 and ended up averaging 22.7 points, 5.6 assists, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game.</p><p>Rockets history is filled with famous duos, many of whom are on this list together. And for the better part of a decade, McGrady and Yao Ming made up one of the best duos in the franchise’s illustrious past.</p><h2><b>9. Rudy Tomjanovich</b></h2><p>This is a greatest Rockets players rankings list. It’s not a list of the most important figures in Rockets history or the best coaches ever. If it was one of those types of lists, Rudy Tomjanovich would no doubt be at or near the top.</p><p>That said, even as a strictly best Rockets players list, Rudy T still ends up pretty darn high.</p><p>Even fans who came of age during Tomjanovich’s 12-year tenure as Rockets head coach may not realize that he was a fantastic player for the team in his own right. The San Diego took Tomjanovich No. 2 overall out of Michigan in 1970, and he rewarded the organization by helping lead their move to Texas in 1971.</p><p>In his 11-year playing career, Rudy T averaged 17.4 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. But the most fascinating piece of Tomjanovich’s career is what he could have been if he wasn’t on the receiving end of a life-threatening Kermit Washington cheap shot punch in 1977.</p><h2><b>8. Clyde Drexler</b></h2><p>Like Tracy McGrady and several other players below, Clyde Drexler will be more remembered in history as a member of another NBA franchise. “The Glide” played a dozen seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers, doing battle with Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in the NBA Finals to no avail.</p><p>At 32, Drexler accepted a trade to the Rockets, and his career and legacy changed dramatically.</p><p>With MJ out playing baseball, the Rockets won back-to-back championships in 1994 and 1995. His pairing with his Houston Cougars college teammate, Hakeem Olajuwon, might be the best duo in Rockets history, as the team was a sort of Super Friends situation for players who could never beat the Bulls.</p><p>Those Rockets teams did beat the Patrick Ewing and John Starks New York Knicks and the Shaquille O’Neal and Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway Orlando Magic, so it was no easy feat winning those trophies.</p><p>That’s why Drexler deserves credit for averaging 19.0 points 6.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 1.9 steals even in his 30s and for bringing NBA gold to Houston.</p><h2><b>7. Ralph Sampson</b></h2><p>While there are a lot of “what if?” questions surrounding Rudy Tomjanovich’s career, Ralph Sampson might be the NBA leader in that category.</p><p>One of the greatest college players in history, the 7-foot-4 Sampson was the No. 1 pick of the 1983 NBA draft (13 spots ahead of Clyde Drexler, ironically). A year later, the franchise again had the top pick and took Olajuwon.</p><p>The duo, dubbed the “Twin Towers,” was supposed to revolutionize the NBA. Olajuwon did that in many ways, becoming one of the best post players in not just Rockets but league history. Sampson won the 1984 Rookie of the Year Award, averaged over 20 points per game and 10 rebounds in his first two seasons, and made the All-Star game in his first four.</p><p>However, injuries started in his third season and eventually took their toll, sapping his unique athleticism and skill. Sampson left Houston after five seasons of averaging 19.7 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game. And while that is good, it’s not all-time great.</p><h2><b>6. Yao Ming</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Yao-Ming-puts-up-a-shot.jpg"><figcaption>Thomas Campbell-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>After the Twin Towers era of the 7-foot Olajuwon and the 7-foot-4 Sampson, the Rockets got the No. 1 pick yet again in 2002 and took 7-foot-6 Chinese sensation, Yao Ming.</p><p>Like Sampson, the story of Yao Ming’s career is that he was just too tall to have a long, healthy pro career. But the big man from China held it together better than his Rockets predecessor. The eight-time All-Star and five-time All-NBA player only missed two games in his first three seasons.</p><p>After that, the injuries (mostly with his feet) started, and he only played over 57 games in a season one more time. But all those seasons were good for the giant center. Yao Ming retired averaging 19.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks in 32.5 minutes per game. And his battles with some of the last traditional centers, like Shaq, were epic.</p><p>Yao was also the victim of a changing game. By the time he retired in 2011, the pace-and-space era was underway, and a 7-foot-6 center no longer had a place, unless he was supremely skilled like Victor Wembanyama with the San Antonio Spurs.</p><h2><b>5. Elvin Hayes</b></h2><p>Elvin Hayes was yet another No. 1 overall pick for the franchise, albeit for the Sa Diego version in 1968. He played seven seasons for the Rockets, three for San Diego and one for Houston initially, and then three more for Houston at the end of his career.</p><p>In his first four seasons, he averaged over 25 points per game, including winning the scoring title as a rookie with 28.4 points per game. His late-career incarnation wasn’t as successful, but he finished his time as a Rocket with 20.6 points and 12.2 rebounds per game. He also missed just two games in his time there.</p><p>The Big E is one of the best players in NBA history, and his four All-Star selections make him one of the best Rockets players in franchise history.</p><h2><b>4. Calvin Murphy</b></h2><p>Unlike most players on this list, Calvin Murphy was a Rocket for his entire career and one of the shortest players in NBA history at 5-foot-9.</p><p>The Niagara product was a second-round pick, and his career was much more of a surprise than all the top selections in this list. Even with little (no pun intended) expectations, Murphy averaged 17.9 points, 4.4 assists, and 1.5 steals in his career.</p><p>Murphy was quick, tough, and physical, especially for his size. He was also the franchise’s leading scorer until Olajuwon broke his record in 1994. Murphy also retired with the most consecutive free throws made (78) and the highest free throw percentage (89.2%), although both those records no longer stand.</p><h2><b>3. James Harden</b></h2><p>The most recent addition to the greatest Rockets players list is James Harden. His time in Houston didn’t end well, but when he was on, “The Beard” was one of the most feared scorers in history.</p><p>Harden got to Houston from Oklahoma City in 2012 and went to work to make this list. Over the course of nine seasons, Harden averaged 29.6 points, 7.7 assists, 1.8 steals, and 6.0 rebounds per game while shooting 36.2% from 3-point range and taking 10.4 free throws per game.</p><p>The Arizona State product won the assists title (11.2 per game) in 2017 and the scoring title in 2018 (30.4 ppg), 2019 (36.1 ppg), and 2020 (34.4 ppg). He won the NBA MVP Award in ’18 and made the All-Star Game every season in Houston. That puts him in the top three of these Rockets player rankings for sure.</p><h2><b>2. Moses Malone</b></h2><p>Moses Malone played for nine NBA teams in his career and won a title with the Philadelphia 76ers, so that is the team he is most associated with. However, his longest tenure was six seasons with the Rockets early in his career.</p><p>During that time, he averaged more points (24.0), rebounds (15.0), and blocks (1.6) than at any other stop along the way. He made five All-Star teams for the Rockets and led the league in rebounding in 1979 (17.6 rpg), 1981 (14.8 rpg), and 1982 (14.7 rpg).</p><p>In 1981-82, his final season in Houston, Malone averaged a staggering 42.0 minutes per game and played 81 of 82 contests. The year prior, Malone — along with Calvin Murphy and Rudy Tomjanovich — took the franchise to its first-ever NBA Finals appearance, losing to Larry Bird’s Boston Celtics.</p><h2><b>1. Hakeem Olajuwon</b></h2><p>“The Dream” played 17 of his 18 NBA seasons with Houston, winning two championships and going down as the greatest Rockets player in team history.</p><p>In addition to bringing his franchise two trophies, Hakeem Olajuwon also won plenty of hardware of his own. Olajuwon retired as a 12-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA player, two-time rebounding champ, three-time blocks champ, two-time NBA Finals MVP, and the 1993-94 NBA MVP.</p><p>The numbers are off the charts, too. Olajuwon averaged 21.8 points, 11.1 rebounds, 1.8 steals, and 3.2 blocks per game. He is also the franchise leader in games, minutes played, field goals, field-goal attempts, 2-pt field goals, 2-pt field-goal attempts, offensive rebounds, defensive rebounds, total rebounds, steals, blocks, blocks per game, win shares, defensive win shares, and points.</p><p>Add all that to the championships, and there is no doubt that, no matter what your definition, Hakeem Olajuwon is the Rockets’ best and greatest player in team history as well as one of <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/updating-ranking-the-50-greatest-players-nba">the greatest players in NBA history</a>.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

10 greatest Rockets in franchise history, ranked

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/houston-rockets/alperen-sengun-bold-predictions-turkeys-eurobasket-quarterfinal-poland');   ga('set', 'title', '3 Alperen Şengün bold predictions for Turkey’s EuroBasket quarterfinal vs. Poland');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Alperen-Sengun-bold-predictions-for-Turkey-s-EuroBasket-quarterfinal-vs-Poland.jpg"></figure><h1>3 Alperen Şengün bold predictions for Turkey’s EuroBasket quarterfinal vs. Poland</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-08T07:55:34-07:00">September 8th, 7:55am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-08T07:55:34-07:00">September 8th, 7:55am</time><address><a>Rohan Brahmbhatt</a>Rohan Brahmbhatt is an adventure-driven sports writer, passionate footballer, mountaineer, and photojournalist. Rohan blends firsthand experience with storytelling—capturing the intensity of sport and the thrill of exploration. Whether on the field, a mountain trail, or behind the lens, he brings authentic, high-energy narratives that connect readers to the heart of the action.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Alperen Şengün has not only been Turkey’s best player at EuroBasket so far, but he has also been one of the tournament’s most impactful performers overall. The 22-year-old Houston Rockets big man has put up an impressive line through six games: 22 points, 10.7 rebounds, 6.7 assists, and 2.8 turnovers per game while shooting a stunning 62.5% from the field. These are not empty stats. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-news-turkey-coach-alperen-sengun-hype-houston-fans">Şengün has carried Turkey on both ends of the court</a> with a blend of old-school finesse and modern versatility, making him the centerpiece of their run to the quarterfinals.</p><p>Now comes the defining test: a matchup against Poland, a team known for its defensive physicality and methodical style of play. Poland may not have the raw star power of Turkey, but they are a disciplined squad, built to frustrate opponents with size, rebounding, and deliberate half-court sets. This game will demand the best version of Şengün, and for Turkey to advance, he must not just perform at his averages but exceed them.</p><p>That’s where bold predictions come into play. If Turkey is going to book a semifinal spot, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/eurobasket-news-alperen-sengun-thing-clear-nikola-jokic-win">Şengün will need to author</a> one of his best international performances yet. Here are three bold predictions for his quarterfinal performance against Poland, each reflecting not just statistical potential but the larger story of Turkey’s EuroBasket campaign.</p><h2><b>Alperen Şengün drops a 30-point masterclass</b></h2><p>Through six games, Alperen Şengün has been remarkably efficient, <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/en/events/fiba-eurobasket-2025/teams/turkiye/253997-alperen-sengun" rel="noopener">averaging 22 points</a> on just 13.3 field goal attempts per contest. That level of efficiency suggests he has another scoring gear that he has yet to unleash fully in this tournament. Poland, with their defensive scheme, may inadvertently give him that opening. Their big men are solid but not especially mobile, and Şengün thrives when he can attack slower defenders with face-ups, spins, and crafty footwork around the rim.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Alperen Sengun leads Türkiye into the quarterfinals!</p><p>🔥 24 PTS<br>🔥 16 REB<br>🔥 6 AST<br>🔥 2 BLK</p><p>Watch all the EuroBasket action live on Courtside 1891: <a href="https://t.co/fPC0xWpW1P">https://t.co/fPC0xWpW1P</a> <a href="https://t.co/dtCysCoSX2">pic.twitter.com/dtCysCoSX2</a></p><p>— NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1964299347127882122?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 6, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>If Turkey is to break Poland’s resistance, they will need Şengün to carry the scoring load in stretches, particularly when perimeter shots are not falling. The Rockets center has shown a growing ability to dictate tempo, slow down when needed, and then accelerate into decisive scoring bursts. What makes him even more dangerous is his passing: once Poland commits double-teams, he will have <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/eurobasket-news-shane-larkin-blunt-take-on-alperen-senguns-baby-jokic-nickname">shooters like Shane Larkin</a> and Furkan Korkmaz waiting to punish rotations.</p><p>But here’s where the boldness comes in, Şengün won’t just hover around his average. He will go for 30 points, setting the tone as the most dominant offensive force on the floor. His touch around the basket, mid-range improvements, and willingness to get to the free-throw line suggest a scoring eruption is coming. If Turkey is going to win, this might be the game where Şengün puts on a performance that cements him as a future EuroBasket legend.</p><h2><b>Şengün dishes out double-digit assists</b></h2><p>What separates Şengün from so many other international big men is not just his scoring touch or rebounding instincts but his playmaking vision. Averaging nearly 7 assists per game in this tournament, he has functioned as a point center, orchestrating half-court sets, initiating fast breaks, and creating open looks for teammates. Turkey’s offense often runs directly through him at the elbows, where his ability to read defenses has made him an invaluable hub.</p><p>Against Poland, this skill will be tested to its fullest. Poland will likely throw extra bodies at him in the paint, forcing him to make quick decisions. This is exactly the type of situation where Şengün’s unique passing ability can shine. With Larkin stretching defenses from beyond the arc and wing cutters constantly moving, Şengün has the opportunity to rack up double-digit assists.</p><p>Imagine a stat line where he balances a 30-point night with 10 or more assists; that’s the kind of performance that changes not only the game but the entire trajectory of Turkey’s EuroBasket campaign. He can dismantle Poland’s defense not just with brute force but with surgical passing. If he hits double-digit assists, Poland’s defensive scheme will collapse, opening the floor for Turkey’s role players to shine.</p><h2><b>Alperen Şengün records a triple-double to lead Turkey to victory</b></h2><p>If the first two predictions sound ambitious, the third ties them together into one historic possibility: a triple-double in the quarterfinals. Alperen Şengün has already been flirting with triple-doubles throughout the tournament, and given his averages: 22 points, nearly 11 rebounds, and almost seven assists per game, it feels less like a dream and more like a realistic outcome waiting to happen.</p><p>Against Poland, Şengün’s role as both the anchor and the engine of this Turkish team makes a triple-double performance not just possible but perhaps necessary. His rebounding will be vital in preventing Poland from dominating second-chance opportunities, while his passing and scoring will determine whether Turkey can unlock a disciplined defense. Add in his growing defensive presence, with 0.7 steals and nearly a block per game, and you have a player capable of influencing every aspect of the contest.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">📊 28 PTS | 13 REB | 8 AST</p><p>Alperen Sengun putting Europe on notice! 🗣️ A spectacular performance to help Türkiye stay unbeaten.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroBasket?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroBasket</a> <a href="https://t.co/gUQlIjd2yR">pic.twitter.com/gUQlIjd2yR</a></p><p>— FIBA EuroBasket (@EuroBasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroBasket/status/1963343370396262784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 3, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>A triple-double would not just be a statistical achievement; it would be symbolic. It would mark <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/alperen-sengun-bold-predictions-turkey-eurobasket-2025-run">Şengün’s arrival as not only Turkey’s star</a> but as one of the premier players of EuroBasket. In the eyes of fans and scouts alike, it would solidify him as a generational talent capable of carrying his nation deep into the tournament. If Turkey is to beat Poland and set up a semifinal showdown with one of the tournament favorites, Alperen Şengün’s triple-double could be the narrative centerpiece.</p><h2><b>The road ahead for Turkey</b></h2><p>While bold predictions are by nature uncertain, what is clear is that Şengün is at the heart of Turkey’s hopes. His combination of efficiency, versatility, and leadership makes him uniquely suited to carry Turkey through the knockout rounds. Poland is not an opponent to underestimate: they are tough, physical, and thrive in grind-it-out games, but Şengün has the tools to break their rhythm.</p><p>Turkey’s supporting cast will also play a role, from Shane Larkin’s perimeter brilliance to the defensive rotations of players like Cedi Osman. But when the dust settles, it will likely be Şengün’s fingerprints all over the result. Whether it’s a 30-point scoring outburst, a double-digit assist night, or a historic triple-double, he has the chance to write the defining chapter of Turkey’s EuroBasket journey.</p><p>My prediction is that Turkey will rise to the moment, powered by Alperen Şengün’s brilliance. His play has already elevated him into the spotlight, but the quarterfinal against Poland could be the night he officially announces himself as the next great European big man on the international stage. If these bold predictions come even close to reality, Turkey’s semifinal dream won’t just be alive; it will feel inevitable.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

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