Şengün powers Rockets past Hawks to stay perfect

Houston had to wait until the second half to get the measure of Atlanta. The Rockets beat the Hawks 120–110 on Monday 26 October, with Alperen Şengün contributing 29 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. The fourth win in four games extends their perfect start to the season, two days after a first victory over the same opponent.

Atlanta keep the initiative before the break

The Hawks won the first quarter 35–32, then scored as many points as Houston in the second, 31–31. At half-time the visitors therefore held on to their three-point lead, 66–63. The Rockets needed both to slow the opposing attack and to find more sustained output in their own possessions.

The third quarter changed the game. Houston won it 28–19 and moved ahead, 91–85. That nine-point swing turned the deficit at the break into a six-point lead, still not enough to consider the game decided.

A fourteen-point response without conceding

Atlanta did pull back to 95–93 early in the fourth period, after a three-pointer from Nickeil Alexander-Walker. Houston then scored fourteen straight points, notably with three-pointers from Reed Sheppard and Tari Eason, to make it 109–93.

After a Jalen Johnson dunk, the Rockets added another eight-point run, up to 117–95. This time the lead was big enough to absorb the Hawks' late push. Houston won the final quarter 29–25 and finished ten points clear.

Şengün contributes across the board

The centre finished eleven of fifteen from the field and six of eight from the free-throw line. On top of his 29 points, nine rebounds and nine assists came six steals and one block. He gave Houston an efficient offensive focal point while also winning back several possessions.

Kevin Durant added twenty-two points, nine rebounds and four blocks. Jabari Smith Jr. had sixteen points, twelve rebounds and five assists. Amen Thompson scored fifteen points. Off the bench, Eason and Sheppard each scored thirteen points; the former also pulled down eight rebounds and blocked three shots, the latter dished out four assists.

Hawks lose their rhythm after the break

Johnson led Atlanta with twenty-one points and nine rebounds. CJ McCollum added twenty, including four three-pointers, but the Hawks scored only forty-four points in the second half, against sixty-six in the first. Houston scored fifty-seven after the break.

The Rockets finished with 52 rebounds to 35 and made 43 of their 81 shots, against 42 of 98 for Atlanta. Their overall efficiency therefore held up despite the visitors' higher volume of attempts. Houston have four wins; the Hawks fall back to even, with two wins and two defeats.

SNA contribution