Alperen Sengun has been sidelined ever since he rolled his ankle just 64 seconds into the Rockets’ game against the Mavericks. Subsequently, the Rockets’ former All-Star did not return to the game as they lost 104-110.
Before tonight’s fixture against the Suns, Ime Udoka spoke to the media and gave a grim update on the injury return timeline for Alperen Sengun.
“We’ll evaluate at the end of the week, but we probably need to get the swelling out and pain tolerance down, and mobility. You’re probably looking at 10-to-14 days,” said Udoka before the game.
The Rockets are facing the Suns tonight at home in a game that will mark Kevin Durant’s second meeting against his former team this season. In the 117-98 win during their last meeting with the Suns, the Rockets did not have Alperen Sengun available due to an illness at the time as well.
And when they faced the Suns for the first time this season, Kevin Durant was out due to personal reasons, and Sengun played. And yet, the Rockets won that game as well.
But missing Sengun tonight and over the next two weeks approximately will be a big loss for the Rockets on both ends of the floor, especially offensively.
“It changes some things, you’ve got to walk through for a reason, and how you’re going to attack certain things that Dallas did with their size and all that. And so, a big part of us, regardless of who you’re playing,” said Udoka while contemplating what the Rockets will miss on the floor in Sengun’s absence.
“And so, kind of takes one of your hubs out and scoring options and a different way to attack, which is through him all over the court, but specifically in the post. And so, go to more smaller lineups, the more traditional, I think, and had the guards attacking more than, uh, facilitating through him,” Udoka further explained.
So far this season, he has averaged 21.8 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 6.5 assists in the 28 games he has played while shooting 51.2% from the field. In the initial round of fan voting for the upcoming All-Star weekend, the Rockets’ center was ranked 11th in the West among all players and will likely make the team this year as well.
The Rockets’ center could miss seven to eight games in this stretch as he is expected to make a return against the Spurs on January 20. But there is also some good news for the Rockets.
Ime Udoka On Getting Fred VanVleet Back For The Rockets
The Rockets’ head coach spoke to the media before tonight’s game and also addressed the possibility of having Fred VanVleet back on the roster from an ACL injury he suffered during the summer.
He said that he is monitoring Fred VanVleet’s situation from week to week and he’s “taking strides” in making a return to the roster. However, the coaching staff and the front office are still functioning with the perception that he will not be returning this season.
But Udoka welcomes the possibility that he might be in a position to return, and they would welcome the “pleasant surprise” of having him back this season.
Other than VanVleet and Sengun, the Rockets will be fully healthy to face the Suns tonight. It will be interesting to see how the Rockets’ offense copes with the absence of these two key figures.
