Latest news with #Şengün
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Warriors guard Pat Spencer ejected for headbutting Alperen Sengun in Game 5 loss
Warriors guard Pat Spencer ejected for headbutting Alperen Sengun in Game 5 loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area The Houston Rockets were cruising to an easy 131-116 Game 5 win over the Warriors on Wednesday at Toyota Center when all hell broke loose. Advertisement Midway through the fourth quarter, Dillon Brooks was fouled by Moses Moody on a defensive rebound. As Pat Spencer walked away, he was bumped by Alperen Şengün. Before Trayce Jackson-Davis could shove Şengün away, Spencer levied a headbutt on the Rockets' NBA All-Star. The referees reviewed the play and assessed offsetting technical fouls to Jackson-Davis and Şengün. Spencer received a technical foul and was ejected for an 'illegal headbutt' on Şengün. The Rockets had built a massive lead and coach Steve Kerr pulled his starters midway through the third quarter. The Warriors' reserves, led by Spencer, made the score closer than the game indicated. Advertisement The Warriors and Rockets aren't done battling, though, as they will travel back to the Bay Area for Game 6 on Friday night at Chase Center. Expect tensions to remain high until this first-round NBA playoff series is over. Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Draymond Green's Brutally Honest Response on Warriors' Blowout Loss
Wednesday night at Toyota Center felt more like Game 7 than a desperate Game 5. Houston exploded from the opening tip, pouring in 40 first-quarter points, immediately putting Golden State on its heels. Advertisement By halftime, the Rockets were up 76-49, led by Alperen Şengün's near triple-double (12 pts, 6 reb, 8 ast). The third quarter was more of the same: Houston outpaced Golden State to stretch the advantage to 107–80, prompting Steve Kerr to empty his bench and regroup for Game 6. After the game, 2025 NBA Hustle Award winner Draymond Green said, "They weren't playing 'Whoop that Trick' but they may as well have been," per Anthony Slater of The Athletic. A brief Warriors run early in the fourth cut the lead, but the Rockets' starters quickly eliminated any threat. When the dust settled, the scoreboard read 131–116 in Houston's favor, and the series stood at 3–2, with the Rockets breathing new life into their season. Advertisement Key to Houston's victory was their defensive intensity and balanced attack. Şengün finished with 15 points, nine boards, and nine assists, proving too much for Golden State's frontcourt to handle. Fred VanVleet drilled four triples and scored 26 points, while Amen Thompson chipped in 25 points, six rebounds, three assists and five steals. Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23).Robert Edwards-Imagn Images Golden State, on the other hand, saw its vaunted dynasty tested. Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler combined for just 21 points on poor shooting (6-of-22 from the field), while Green mustered a mere seven points. A late ejection of Pat Spencer for head-butting Şengün added drama to a series that now turns to Game 6 on May 2, back in San Francisco. Advertisement Related: Bronny James Dealt Bad G League News Before NBA Playoffs Related: NBA Makes Major Nikola Jokic Announcement Before Playoffs
New York Times
29-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Draymond Green seals Warriors' Game 4 win with another play to remember him by
SAN FRANCISCO — Draymond Green was stunned and stoked, simultaneously. He didn't expect to be isolated at the free-throw line, on an island with the outcome of Game 4 to be determined by his resistance. Houston's strategy for a game-winning bucket, its last stand to even this Western Conference first-round series, couldn't be to go at him. HIM? No way. He isn't that lucky. Advertisement But with 13.4 seconds remaining Monday, the Rockets inbounded the ball to Alperen Şengün and, as the clock ticked under 10 seconds, he went for it. Şengün sized up Green and went iso. The Golden State Warriors' defensive anchor couldn't believe it. He also couldn't wait. If confidence was measured on a scale to 100, Golden State's level of belief is all the way up if the game comes down to Green making a play on defense. 'I feel like 100,' Steve Kerr said. Said Steph Curry: '101.' 'He's the best defender I've ever seen in my life,' Kerr said. 'He rises to the occasion. On top of being a great defender, he's an incredible competitor. We've seen it. I've seen it for 11 years. Game on the line, Draymond making a stop. It's like having Steph Curry take the shot.' Green didn't miss, and the Warriors hung on for a 109-106 win that put them up 3-1 in the best-of-seven series. DRAY GOT THE STOP 🚫 — Golden State Warriors (@warriors) April 29, 2025 These opportunities don't happen often. To win the game with a stop. To flex his superiority in a clutch moment. To make defense preeminent. Especially coming off finishing third in Defensive Player of the Year voting, getting to go one-on-one with Şengün at his best? That's Draymond's jam. Yes, Green desired a second DPOY. He wants first-team All-Defense even more. But of utmost importance, more than a trophy, more than accolades, more than stats, he wants you to remember him. No doubt, NBA fans will remember his verbosity, his rage that often burns out of control, his many controversies, his bullying tactics on players and refs, his untimely technicals and costly suspensions, his embrace of villainhood. But with those, it must be remembered that Green was the best in his era at his craft. That his excellence produced the biggest of wins, at a level only a small percentage of players ever claim. In an era dominated by Curry and LeBron James, two of the greatest ever, Draymond Green forged his name. Advertisement He's seared himself into the annals of basketball history with an inventory of high-stakes moments just like the one Monday night at Chase Center — where his defense makes an impact equivalent to a big shot and his stamp on the game was undeniable. This is how he gets the cachet of clutch. This is how a master of the intangibles makes sure he's felt. 'They always try to go at him,' Warriors center Kevon Looney said. 'It never works. Gotta come with a better plan than that.' Şengün, the Rockets' 6-foot-11 maestro in the post, had spent the better part of the second half devouring Warriors defenders like warm simit. But most of that was while Green sat on the bench with foul trouble. Şengün scored 17 points in the 12 minutes, 15 seconds Green sat with five fouls. And Şengün missed three free throws in that span. But it was a bit of fool's gold. It adequately hurt Golden State and nearly delivered victory to Houston. But Şengün's hot streak set him up for failure on Houston's final possession. He was 3-for-11 against Green to that point. He's struggled all series dealing with the Warriors' undersized big. If not for that run of interior dominance, he might've known not to try Green in that moment. 'I told Dray,' Jimmy Butler said, 'if you get a stop, I will get the rebound.' If. This is the same defender who picked the pocket of Nikola Jokić in the post to stamp Game 3 in a 2022 first-round series against Denver. Draymond was fired up after getting the steal on Jokic 🔥 — NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) April 22, 2022 The same defender who blocked Kyle Lowry's 3-pointer to seal Game 5 in the 2019 NBA Finals against Toronto. Who sent away a LeBron James drive in the final moments of overtime in Game 2 of the 2015 NBA Finals. Who snuffed out a Jaren Jackson Jr. 3-pointer to cap Game 4 against Memphis in the 2022 second round. Advertisement For Green, 'when,' not 'if,' was the appropriate word. He lives for these moments. He gets stronger at the end of games, in part because he despises being scored on when it matters most. It's a bent triggered by trauma. Back in the 2013 playoffs against Denver, when Green was a rookie, he was schooled so badly it made him sick. Literally. He was so angry and disgusted, he felt ill. In his mind, he was getting worked over, outsmarted by a craftier player. It created in him this soul-trembling disdain for getting cooked on defense. He's been looking for that player since, to thank him for the foundational lesson that shaped his career. But Green said he still hasn't come across Andre Miller. But the lessons from the veteran guard are still there, which is why Green tightens up and laser focuses. All the film study, all the leverage tricks. All his strength. It gets activated in these moments. Şengün felt the resolve of a defensive legend when he lowered his shoulder into the 'Golden State' on Green's chest. Knowing it was coming, Green firmed up to absorb the contact. And despite watching Şengün's array of moves all second half, Green knew what was coming next: a right-handed jump hook. Because, as Green declared before, Şengün likes to spin back to the middle. Green stepped forward, angling himself to be there when Şengün completed his spin, and kept his left hand straight up to force Şengün to get it over his 7-foot-2 wingspan. 'He doesn't let 'em get to their spot,' Looney explained. 'He knows the game so well, he knows how to get guys off their pet moves. And he's got a level of physicality. He knows they ain't calling nothing when the game's on the line. Which is how it should be. You gotta earn it.' It's not that Green can't be scored on. He has been. A lot in his career. And that was a makeable attempt by Şengün. Green was fully prepared to tip his cap had the Rockets' big man made it. Advertisement But the difference in this series, as projected from the beginning, would be the Warriors' experience. It played out at the end of Game 4 and worked in the Warriors' favor. The Rockets didn't actually call for Şengün to go one-on-one vs. Green. They ran the same play that had worked twice: a pick-and-pop with Şengün handling and Fred VanVleet setting the screen. VanVleet hit his eighth 3-pointer after the Warriors rolled with Şengün and left him open, tying the game at 104. Then, with the Warriors up three, Şengün scored against Gary Payton II, who was switched onto the big man after VanVleet's screen. Not wanting to leave VanVleet open, Green had to accept the switch. Şengün scored easily, cutting the Warriors' lead to one. So on the next defensive possession, Payton made the adjustment. He smacked the VanVleet screen — pressing so close to the screener that he couldn't set the pick — and gave Green the space to go under the screen and stay attached to Şengün. The switch didn't happen. Which left Şengün needing to make a decision. He chose to attack Green. Green was so close to being a culprit in this game. What happened while he sat with five fouls underscored his significance to the Warriors' defense, and to their chances. Which means Green getting involved with Dillon Brooks and Tari Eason, on separate occasions, is problematic for their end game. Fair or not, he must do what he needs to do to stay on the court. Monday was a reminder of how quickly his improved composure could go awry because the target is still on his back. But none of that mattered because Şengün chose to go at him. And Green had a chance to add another defensive stop to his highlight reel. 'The amount of poise he has when everything he does, it's always blown out of proportion,' Butler said of Green. 'If it was anybody else, it wouldn't be that. To stay so calm, to come out there, get stops, kick us off on the offensive side of the ball. You're a special human being. That's why he's the Hustle Man of the Year. Remember that.' Remember him. (Top photo of Draymond Green and Stephen Curry celebrating after Monday's win: Ezra Shaw / Getty Images)
New York Times
18-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Draymond Green-Alperen Şengün chess match could decide Warriors-Rockets series
There's typically a specific moment or act that revs up the energy and testiness of any particular NBA game. When the Houston Rockets visited the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco earlier this month, it happened when Draymond Green cranked up his physicality against Alperen Şengün before an inbound late in the second quarter. Advertisement While the ball was still in official Ben Taylor's hands, Green put a forearm in Şengün's chest and started grappling for positioning. Şengün whacked it away and looked at the referee. Green did it again. Taylor warned him to stop. 'Call it then!' Green yelled at Taylor while pressing into Şengün's chest and neck area again. Taylor whistled Green for a technical foul and received a loud 'thank you!' from Green on his way to the scorer's table. Green didn't care about the bonus free throw he gave Houston. This was a tactic to wake up his slumbering teammates, an attempt to spook the younger Rockets and gain better positioning against Şengün, one of the league's best post-up threats. 'I already give up six inches and 50 pounds,' Green said postgame. After the brief stoppage, the Rockets were again inbounding under the basket. Green was defending Şengün. Fred VanVleet lobbed it over the top to Şengün, who was being guarded by Green about 17 feet from the basket. The other three Rockets were spread on the opposite side of the floor. This was a design to get Şengün an isolated post-up against a desirable matchup. So VanVleet sprinted right over for a screen right after the inbound. He set it well, forcing Brandin Podziemski, his man, to switch onto Şengün and pull Green away from the action. Here's what followed: Şengün smartly attacks Podziemski with a righty baseline spin away from Green's help, powering into the lane against a group of helpside defenders who aren't true rim protectors. Gary Payton II tries, but Şengün goes right through him for a strong and-1 layup, allowing him to roar in Green's direction and pump up his team because of his emphatic answer to Green's toughness test. So much about this collective sequence is at the heart of this upcoming first-round series between the Warriors and Rockets, speaking to both the strategic and emotional side of what'll define the matchup. Advertisement Şengün is the best offensive player on the Rockets and many would argue their best overall player. He was their lone All-Star this season and probably the only player on the conference's No. 2-seeded team who will receive All-NBA votes. He is averaging 19.1 points, 10.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists. If he doesn't thrive in this series, it's difficult to imagine Houston scoring enough points to survive. Rockets coach Ime Udoka knows that. It's part of why he will loudly back Şengün and whoever else is being tested by chirping at Green, Stephen Curry and whoever else to breathe confidence into his players. Udoka also knows who Green is on the defensive end. He's the emotional engine, but also the interior backbone, and is still considered one of the NBA Defensive Player of the Year front-runners in his 13th NBA season. There will be times in this series that Şengün and Green get locked in a one-on-one clash, and it'll be basketball theater, especially in clutch moments that could decide the series. But Udoka also knows it's in his and Şengün's best interest to get Şengün away from a matchup with Green whenever possible. You saw it in the previous clip when Podziemski was forced to switch, and then Şengün drove away from Green. It's also shown during this early fourth-quarter possession in that same game. Udoka has his double-big lineup on the floor, using both Şengün and Steven Adams, a duo that has been dominant in its brief pockets together (including a historic rebound rate). The Warriors are going small against it. Because of that, Green is on Adams, and Houston can get a quick switch on top, moving Jimmy Butler off of Şengün and Podziemski onto him. It's clear who Udoka prefers to attack. Şengün goes right through Podziemski into the floater range and pours in a soft lefty hook. Green shades over like he wants to help, but knows he can't overcommit and ignore Adams, one of the league's best offensive rebounders. Green's ability to stick on Şengün or figure out ways to help against mismatches is a pivot point of the series. If they can limit Şengün's effectiveness and impact on the offensive end, Udoka will have to make difficult decisions when it comes to his lineup choices. Şengün was a plus-11 in this Rockets win because he was productive in his 33 minutes: 19 points, 14 rebounds, four assists. But that hasn't often been the case against the Warriors, which have historically dominated Houston in Şengün's 13 career games against them. The Rockets are 2-11, and Şengün is a cumulative minus-63. Advertisement That includes two separate games this season where a lineup that included Şengün, with the Warriors relentlessly attacking him in space, dug the Rockets in a deep hole. Udoka stuck with a smaller, faster, more versatile defensive lineup to drag Houston back into the game. The Rockets came back from 24 down in one home game due to Tari Eason and Amen Thompson providing lots of energy. Şengün was limited to 21 minutes and was a minus-7 in an overtime loss. Şengün has certainly improved on the defensive end. Udoka demands it, or he will pull him from a game. Şengün has quick hands and a good basketball brain, but physical limitations are physical limitations. Şengün isn't the quickest at getting to the perimeter or the best leaper, so the Warriors won't be worried about him protecting the rim. They will attack him with split-cut action, dribble handoffs and Curry relocations when he's anywhere in the vicinity. Here is an example from one of Butler's first games with the Warriors. Thompson is on Curry at the top. Butler is operating against Jalen Green on the other wing. Şengün is sagged off Green with two feet in the paint, as expected. Butler, Green and Curry recognize it. So they execute a simple action that so often burns centers. Butler zings it to Green on the wing. He sets a wipeout screen on Thompson on the left wing while simultaneously pitching it to Curry, who is curling off his right shoulder into an open 3 because Şengün didn't react in time to get out to the perimeter and run Curry off the line. Here's another example with Gui Santos and Kevon Looney in some split-cut action. Şengün's half-hearted stunt allows Curry to curl free to the corner and puts the Rockets in a scramble, leading to an and-1 Curry 3. Here's a different version of a similar problem for the Rockets. Butler attacks Şengün on the drive after a switch, which he'll presumably do a ton in this series, considering the type of force he has shown at the rim against centers in the last two games. But he drives to pass on this particular possession. Curry cuts and makes a layup, unbothered by Şengün's non-contest. Şengün generates a ton of problems for the Warriors to contain on the defensive end. He also provides a target for the Warriors to attack against an otherwise stout Rockets defense. That's what makes the chess match between Şengün, Green, Curry, Udoka and Steve Kerr such a vital part of this first-round series.
New York Times
18-03-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Rockets storm back from 25-point deficit to snag OT victory vs. 76ers
The Houston Rockets defeated the Philadelphia 76ers, 144-137, in a thrilling overtime contest Monday that was arguably one of the more confusing, exciting games of the season. For most of the evening, it was the shorthanded, banged-up 76ers that had the Rockets up against their heels, leading by as much as 25 points largely due to a scorching hot night from the perimeter (24-of-49) and a career night from Quentin Grimes, who led the way with 46 points. Houston was simply without an answer for the electric, shifty guard who punished each and every defender that was put in his crosshairs. QUENTIN GRIMES NEW CAREER-HIGH 46 PTS 🎯 76ers/Rockets going back and forth in overtime!! — NBA (@NBA) March 18, 2025 But the Rockets, winners of six straight entering this matchup and still caught in the thick of a Western Conference seeding race, stormed back in the second half, eventually tying the contest with 3.9 seconds remaining in regulation after Alperen Şengün tipped in a Jabari Smith Jr. missed free throw. Smith and Jalen Green led the way for Houston with 30 points apiece, but got timely contributions from Tari Eason (21 points) and Dillon Brooks (25 points). Advertisement It's somewhat ironic that it took one of the worst teams in the NBA to extract an emotional showing from the prideful Rockets, who had two players foul out in Brooks and Eason, one ejected in Fred VanVleet and even had a multitude of fans leaving the arena early after already succumbing to defeat. Ime Udoka's decision to re-insert Steven Adams and Şengün during Smith's late-game free throws wasn't out of the norm — it's a common ploy for NBA teams to attempt to secure an offensive rebound off an intentional miss, especially when trailing in the final seconds. But the simplicity of the sequence of events — Smith's shot perfectly careening off the side of the rim and Şengün's subsequent positioning for the putback — was indicative of Houston's rebounding prowess. The Rockets pulled down 23 offensive rebounds against the 76ers, converting that into 27 second-chance points. ALPI SENDS US TO OVERTIME 🚨 — Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) March 18, 2025 Houston's ability to generate extra possessions has been an underlying theme of its success all season. According to Cleaning the Glass, the Rockets rank first in offensive rebound percentage in the halfcourt (36.2 percent), the highest such mark since the site began tracking data in 2003. The team also leads the way in putback points per miss (26.8). In a game that is predicated on possessions — and with the playoffs a few weeks away where each trip down the floor has added significance — Houston's ability to create extra chances is critical to its immediate future. 'Most of our baskets to start the game were putbacks or (from) getting on the glass,' Udoka said. 'It's what we've done all year. Being the best at it in the league, understanding who we are and it's an area where you can really take advantage of teams.' Advertisement In another dimension, fourth-year guard Grimes could have easily been another casualty of a lost season in Philadelphia, especially off the heels of star acquisition Paul George being shut down for the remainder of the year. Instead, Grimes has grasped the opportunity to play extended minutes with both hands. Since March 1, Grimes is averaging an impressive 26.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game, shooting 37.7 percent from 3 on nearly eight attempts per night. Against the Rockets on Monday, Grimes produced a career-high 46 points on efficient 15-for-27 shooting to go along with a game-high 13 rebounds. 'He was playing really good and then he got super hot, right? Every time he vaults up, you think it's going in, right?' 76ers coach Nick Nurse said. 'I know that's probably an incredible feeling for him, but it's a good feeling for everybody.' Grimes, who did not receive a rookie extension like Şengün, Green and other members of his 2021 draft class, presents an interesting case study as he approaches restricted free agency this offseason. The 24-year-old is undoubtedly an instant source of offense, as he's showcased in his previous stints in New York and Dallas. Defensively, there's still a lot to be desired and Grimes is not quite a consistent playmaker. But because of his age and potential he's yet to reach, it's wise to assume the list of potential suitors in the summer will be lengthy.
