Houston Rockets star Alperen Sengun is widely regarded as one of the most skilled big men in the NBA today. While his unique playmaking ability and versatility have led many to compare him to Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic, former NBA player Kendrick Perkins had a different opinion.
On a recent episode of “NBA Countdown,” Kendrick Perkins boldly rejected Alperen Sengun’s nickname, “Baby Jokic,” claiming that even the Rockets’ big man wouldn’t be too fond of it. Instead, Perkins chose to throw shade at Sengun by giving him a different nickname.
“When the coach calls out the dog mentality and the defense, the first thing that comes to mind is the big man,” Perkins began. “I know Alperen Sengun, he don’t like the nickname, ‘Baby Jokic,’ so I gave him a new one: ‘Zero Interest.’ Because he has zero interest in playing defense.”
“Have y’all seen him lately? I mean, offensively, he’s talented as hell. But if you go back and look at that Spurs’ video, this is not a guy who is fired up about defending at no kind of level.”
Perkins went on to break down all of Alperen Sengun’s defensive shortcomings during the game against the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday night, highlighting his poor body language and intent. Perkins was particularly disappointed with the fact that the Spurs supposedly ran the same play over 15 times because Sengun’s defensive effort was lacking.
“I’m not picking on him. If I see a queen of hearts, I’m going to call it a queen of hearts. The film don’t lie,” he continued.
Against the Spurs, Sengun posted an average of 1.76 points allowed per possession, which is the worst in Rockets’ history. Given that Houston lost 145-120, and Victor Wembanyama notched 29 points, eight rebounds, and four blocks, it is apparent that Alperen Sengun failed the assignment.
Sengun isn’t known for his defensive ability, but this game appears to be an outlier in many ways.
On paper, the Rockets’ big man appears reliable on defense, averaging 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. He also boasts a defensive rating of 111, which can be considered solid.
This has changed in the last 10 games, as Alperen Sengun has posted a defensive rating of 118.3, a drastic shift from his overall rating. Additionally, he has allowed an average of 16.3 points off turnovers, 32.8 points in the paint, and 11.0 second-chance points during this period.
To some extent, Perkins’ critique of Sengun can be considered an exaggeration.
Given that Houston ranks eighth in the NBA in defensive rating (112.2), it is evident that the team has managed to compensate for Sengun’s apparent defensive shortcomings. When additionally factoring in that the big man is averaging 20.2 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game, it is fair to say that his offensive contributions also make up for any defensive errors.
Still, the third-ranked Rockets will demand more from their players heading into the final stretch of the regular season. With a 6-4 record in their last 10 outings, the Rockets have struggled to build consistency. Thus, even though they are coming off a blowout loss against the Nuggets, Houston must get back on track with a win against the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday, March 13.
