Monty Williams on Alperen Sengun: ‘He might be the best post-up guy in the league now’

By HoopsHype | January 2, 2024

After the game, the Detroit Pistons head coach praised the 21-year-old, comparing him with two of the biggest superstars in the whole NBA. “He might be the best post-up guy in the league now. It’s like Jokic, Embiid and him”, he said. Ime Udoka, instead, tried to humble him. “I specifically told him to keep it simple, stop searching for fouls and just play”, the Houston Rockets head coach added. Alperen Sengun himself said to the media he needs more improvements. “I knew I needed to play better. I was mad at myself, and I pushed myself in the second half. I played my game. I wasn’t playing like myself in the first half. I missed a lot of shots. I didn’t play with that energy, but if you want to win everyone has to play well, and I did my job in the third quarter”, the Turkish star commented.Source: EuroHoops.net What’s the buzz on Twitter? David Hardisty @clutchfansIme Udoka on Alperen Sengun bouncing back in the third quarter with 20 of his 26 points: “I specifically told him to keep it simple, stop searching for fouls and just play.” – 10:30 PM Jonathan Feigen @Jonathan_FeigenRockets 106, Pistons 80 after 3. Rockets 47 in the quarter, their most in any quarter this season or last. Sengun with 20 of his 26, Green with 17 of his 22, VanVleet with all of his seven assists. – 9:51 PM Omari Sanfoka II @omarisankofaSengun gets the layup through contact, again. Foul 5 on WIseman in just 16 minutes. Duren picked up 4 in 19 minutes. We might see Knox at center at this rate – 9:48 PM Jonathan Feigen @Jonathan_FeigenRockets on a 16-4 run to lead 78-64 with Sengun scoring 11 in the first five minutes of the half, Green five, capped by a slick reverse that drew a Monty Williams time out. – 9:28 PM Omari Sanfoka II @omarisankofaSengun is cooking. Already has 11 points less than five minutes into the 3rd.Pistons are down 14, 78-64. Cade is shooting 2-15, and Houston has 22 points off of 10 Pistons turnovers. That’s the game story so far – 9:27 PM Jonathan Feigen @Jonathan_FeigenSengun with a strong finish through a Duren foul. That will send Duren to the bench with four fouls. He has 12 points on 6 of 7 shooting and 11 rebounds. Wiseman checks in. Sengun getting going. – 9:24 PM Jonathan Feigen @Jonathan_FeigenYou just never see Sengun look unsure about what he wants to do offensively. He has quite a few possessions seeming uncharacteristically hesitant. – 8:53 PM Jonathan Feigen @Jonathan_FeigenRockets 31, Pistons 29 after 1. Rockets shooting 52.2 %, Pistons 50 %. Cunningham just 2 of 9. Tough start for Sengun offensively, just 1 of 4, but with five rebounds. – 8:36 PM Jonathan Feigen @Jonathan_FeigenOK. Rockets have corrected the starting lineup announced previously, so I deleted the one in error. Seemed odd to have Jeff Green and Tate start. So …Rockets starters: Tate, Smith, Sengun, Green, VanVleet.Pistons starters: Bogdanovic, Knox II, Duren, Ivey, Cunningham. – 7:37 PM James Edwards III @JLEdwardsIIIMonty Williams on the scene in the locker room: “I’ve been in a ton of locker rooms my whole life, and that was a first to me. It wasn’t relief. It was more like, ‘Thank God! Finally.’” – 8:43 PM Mike Curtis @MikeACurtis2Monty Williams on if it feels like they’re getting closer to a win:“We gotta learn from what prevented us from winning the other day…We’ve been knocking on the door with hands and feet, hammers, the whole nine. Now we have to blow it open. That’s what we plan to do.” – 4:37 PM Mike Curtis @MikeACurtis2Monty Williams on Toronto’s trade with Knicks: “We have to play to a certain standard. It doesn’t matter who’s missing.” Says they’ve been in this position before. – 4:24 PM More on this storyline The Rockets have played fewer games than any other team in the league, but that doesn’t mean Şengün hasn’t already been used a ton, perhaps too much. It’s a testament to Şengün’s importance but also comes with a downside. He’s such a huge part of what they do offensively, and the Rockets also need him to stay on the floor at the other end to amplify what they want to do with the ball. Part of it boils down to the Rockets not trusting the likes of Jock Landale and Boban Marjanović with major minutes, but the result is a lot of minutes on Şengün’s legs. He averaged just under 29 minutes a season ago, but he’s already cleared that mark nine times in the last 10 games (playing 32.7 minutes a night this season). 34, 28, 35, 43(!), 32, 37, 31, 34, 35 and 34 minutes. I know both Şengün and the Rockets have been talking about his improving conditioning — which will pay off in the long run — but I think they’re playing him a tad bit too much. -via The Athletic / December 6, 2023