Alperen Sengun provided the NBA’s first points in 2026 during the Houston Rockets vs. Brooklyn Nets game Thursday evening.
Sengun is in his fifth season in the league with the Rockets. He rose through the ranks as one of the best centers around, bringing Houston back into playoff contention. This season he hopes to bring them into the title race.
Houston enjoyed cruising through the 2025 portion of this season, going 20-10 in its 30 contests. Sengun wanted to help set the tone to start the new year, starting with your first bucket against Brooklyn. He placed the ball inside the arc as he went to work, weaving his way into the paint for the basket at the rim.
How Alperen Sengun and the Rockets played against the Nets
It was a solid bucket to knock down for Alperen Sengun as he led the Rockets to an easy 120-96 win over the Nets to start 2026.
The game started out close as Houston only led 26-20 after the first quarter. Despite this, the Rockets continued to increase their lead by exploding in the third quarter with a score of 37-25, something Brooklyn never recovered from.
Six players scored in double figures for Houston in the win, including Sengun. He finished with a stat line of 20 points, six rebounds, six assists, two steals and one block. He shot 8 of 12 from the field and 4 of 6 from the free throw line. Amen Thompson led the team with 23 points and four rebounds. Kevin Durant was next with 22 points and 11 assists, Tari Eason with 15 points and nine rebounds, Jabari Smith Jr. had 14 points and six rebounds, while Reed Sheppard provided 14 points and three blocks.
Houston improved to 21-10 this season, sitting in fourth place in the Western Conference standings. They are a game above the Los Angeles Lakers and 1.5 games above the Minnesota Timberwolves. However, they trail the Denver Nuggets by one game and the San Antonio Spurs by two games.
With four straight wins, the Rockets will be looking forward to their next game. They remain on the road as they take on the Dallas Mavericks on January 3 at 8:30 p.m. ET.
