Alperen Sengun delivered a dominant performance as the Houston Rockets secured a 121-110 win over the Utah Jazz on Thursday night.
Sengun finished with 33 points and 10 rebounds, while Amen Thompson contributed 16 points, 10 boards, and five assists. The victory improved Houston’s record to 48-26, keeping them in second place in the Western Conference with a two-game lead over the Denver Nuggets.
Jalen Green added 21 points, and Tari Eason chipped in 15 for the Rockets, who are in the midst of a critical eight-game stretch featuring just two home games. Houston controlled the glass, outrebounding Utah 58-40 and dominating second-chance opportunities with a 30-8 advantage.
Collin Sexton led the Jazz with 21 points in the loss, while Keyonte George added 17. Rookies Isaiah Collier and Kyle Filipowski each scored 16, and Brice Sensabaugh provided 15 off the bench. Utah, now 16-58, remains at the bottom of the West and has lost 14 of its last 15 games.
The game remained close late in the fourth quarter when Sexton buried a three-pointer to cut Houston’s lead to 105-102 with 3:36 remaining. However, Thompson responded with a layup on the next possession, sparking a 6-0 run that helped the Rockets pull away.
Houston’s defense held Utah to just three offensive rebounds all night, limiting the Jazz to minimal second-chance scoring. Sengun anchored the interior, while Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr. combined for 20 rebounds.
Fred VanVleet struggled from the field, shooting just 1-of-10, but contributed six assists and played a key role in Houston’s perimeter defense. Dillon Brooks added 10 points, three assists, and a steal, providing a defensive presence against Utah’s backcourt.
For Utah, Keyonte George dished out eight assists, and Filipowski grabbed seven rebounds, but the team’s lack of size and rebounding cost them against a physically dominant Rockets squad. The Jazz’s 54.4% shooting from the field wasn’t enough to compensate for their struggles on the boards.
