Alperen Şengün fails to avoid Rockets loss in career match

Turkish center Alperen Şengün had the best performance of his young career against the Los Angeles Lakers yesterday, posting a career-best 33 points, 15 rebounds, five assists and four blocks for the Houston Rockets, but failed to prevent a 140-132 loss.

The 20-year-old's career night began with 11 first-quarter points on 5-of-6 shooting when the Rockets closed the period down 37-35. He recorded 20 by the end of the first half, but Houston trailed the Lakers 73-61 by halftime.
Eric Gordon was the only player who came close to matching Şengün's output by scoring 15 of his 19 points during the first half.

Şengün, who went 14 of 17 from the field and 2 of 2 from the three-point line, continued his one-man show midway through the third quarter until Jalen Green found his rhythm.

He also became the youngest center ever to have 30 points, 15 rebounds and five assists in an NBA game. The last five centers to post a similar line, including four blocks, were Karl-Anthony Towns, Joel Embiid, Shaquille O'Neal, David Robinson and Hakeem Olajuwon.

LeBron James led the Lakers to the victory, having a season-high 48 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in his third 40-point performance since turning 38 less than three weeks ago.
Russell Westbrook scored 24 for the Lakers, who never pulled away in another poor defensive game, but also set a franchise record by committing just two turnovers.

Houston has lost 16 of 17 over the past five weeks, dropping into last in the overall NBA standings at 10-34.
In Boston, Jayson Tatum produced an electrifying 51-point display as the Boston Celtics marked the NBA's Martin Luther King Day holiday schedule with a 130-118 win over the Charlotte Hornets.

Two days after scoring 33 points...