Rockets center Alperen Şengün was rolled off the floor in a wheelchair after suffering an apparent right leg injury during the final minute of Sunday night’s game in Sacramento.
Şengün collided with Kings center Domantas Sabonis. Immediately after attempting to contest a transition layup by Sabonis, Şengün fell to the ground and grabbed at his right knee. On the television broadcast, Şengün could be heard talking to lead team trainer Jason Biles about his ankle.
Alperen Sengun was taken off the court in a wheelchair after an apparent leg injury 💔
🎥@BleacherReportpic.twitter.com/ItHm8D9WcO
— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) March 11, 2024
Şengün, unable to walk under his own power, was rolled off the floor. Rockets coach Ime Udoka told reporters after the game that Şengün was getting X-rays and the team would soon know more.
Şengün, a third-year Turkish center, is in the midst of a breakout season, averaging 21.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and 5.0 assists and 1.2 steals per game.
What this means for Houston
This comes at the worst possible time for a Rockets team coming off a rare successful road trip and a particularly terrible time for Şengün, who was playing some of the best basketball of his young career. Houston (29-35), which won four out of its last five games, was building some momentum in attempts to catch the Golden State Warriors in 10th place in the Western Conference. Golden State recently lost star point guard Steph Curry to an ankle injury.
The Rockets’ offense has been inconsistent all season long but Şengün has cemented himself as the team’s most important player, most notably in this week’s dominant 45-point, 16-rebound showing versus No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama. Without Şengün’s services, the next man up is reserve center Jock Landale, who has enjoyed a solid stretch of play recently and reasserted himself in the rotation after struggling for most of the year. Head coach Ime Udoka, who is a firm believer in veteran forward Jeff Green, can also revert to more small-ball lineups with Green lining up at big. Second-year versatile forward Jabari Smith Jr. is also an option should they opt to go that route.
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(Photo: Carmen Mandato / Getty Images)
