Alperen Sengun delivered a dominant performance as the Houston Rockets defeated the Golden State Warriors 91-90 on Wednesday night, securing a spot in the NBA Cup semifinals in Las Vegas.
Sengun led the way for Houston with 26 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists. Jabari Smith Jr. added 15 points, while Jalen Green sealed the win with two clutch free throws with 3.5 seconds left on the clock.
The Rockets, now 17-8 on the season, will face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the semifinals on Saturday.
The game featured a dramatic finish after Houston squandered a 14-point lead. Trailing by six with under two minutes to play, Fred VanVleet drained a critical three-pointer, and Sengun followed with a layup to cut the deficit to one
Stephen Curry, who scored 19 points for Golden State, missed a three-pointer with 11 seconds remaining. Gary Payton II grabbed the rebound but turned the ball over, allowing Green to draw a foul and sink the decisive free throws.
Golden State had one final opportunity, but Jabari Smith Jr. blocked Brandin Podziemski’s three-point attempt at the buzzer to preserve the Rockets’ victory.
Houston’s poise down the stretch proved crucial, despite shooting just 22.2% from beyond the arc. The team’s defensive efforts, including five blocks and 10 steals, played a significant role in their win. Amen Thompson contributed 10 points and six rebounds off the bench, while Tari Eason added nine points and seven boards.
For the Warriors, Jonathan Kuminga led the team with 20 points and seven rebounds. Buddy Hield chipped in 15 points, while Payton recorded seven rebounds and two steals.
Golden State, now 14-10, has struggled to maintain consistency this season and missed key opportunities late in the game.
