Rockets All-Star Alperen Şengün exits game vs. Mavericks with ankle sprain after 1 minute
- - Rockets All-Star Alperen Şengün exits game vs. Mavericks with ankle sprain after 1 minute
Jack Baer January 3, 2026 at 9:13 PM
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The Houston Rockets got 64 seconds from Alperen Şengün on Saturday. They can only hope they don't get even less in their next several games.
The All-Star center exited Saturday's 110-104 loss to the Dallas Mavericks after rolling his right ankle while rebounding, roughly one minute into the first quarter. He soon limped to the bench then left for the locker room.
The Rockets initially announced him as questionable to return with an ankle sprain, then downgraded him to out.
This is the play where Alperen Sengun got hurt, rolling his right ankle when landing on a rebound attempt. https://t.co/vEohvYuD61 pic.twitter.com/VVxGTjqmQh
— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) January 4, 2026
The Rockets lost the game 114-110, with back-up center Clint Capela posting 8 points on 4-of-8 shooting, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 5 steals and 2 blocks.
The injury could interrupt a career year for Şengün. After making his first All-Star Game last year, he entered Saturday averaging career highs in points per game (22.6), while leading the Rockets in rebounds (9.3) and assists (6.7). He is a major reason why Houston is off to a 21-11 start, good for fourth in the Western Conference.
Şengün has a history of injuries with that ankle, as his breakout 2023-24 season ended early due to a grade 3 sprain sustained in March. The Rockets will likely know more about this injury on Sunday, if imaging is needed.
Source: “AOL Sports”
