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The Houston Rockets Remain Undefeated as They Beat the Atlanta Hawks 120-110
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- The Houston Rockets Remain Undefeated as They Beat the Atlanta Hawks 120-110
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
The Houston Rockets move to 4-0 on the season after beating the Atlanta Hawks 120-11. Although Atlanta started the game very strong and had the lead at halftime, Houston's elite interior presence on both ends of the court proved to be too much to handle, and Atlanta is now 2-2 after starting the season 2-0.
Alperen Sengun continues to be the frontrunner for Houston. He is likely having his best season so far in his young career, and is on his way to being an All-Star for his third consecutive season.
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Sengun dominated the paint on both ends of the court. Sengun stacked the stat sheet in this victory, dropping 29 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists, and 6 steals.
His shooting efficiency was excellent, as he went 11-of-15 from the floor, including making his only three-point attempt.
His free throw shooting is showing signs of improvement. He converted 6 of his 8 free throw attempts and is sitting at a 75% success rate for the season. The training and development work with Chip Engellend is paying off already, and it will only continue to improve.
Houston had six players in double digits, showcasing how well-rounded the team is. Durant eclipsed 20 points again, even though his minutes (30) were managed for the first time this season.
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As I mentioned before the season started, the Rockets' second unit is now one of the best in the league. Reed Sheppard and Tari Eason both had 13 points.
Eason has established himself as the leader of the second unit, and his physical presence, showcased by his impressive driving and rebounding in the paint, will cause problems for every team going forward.
His disruptiveness on defense continues to be truly elite, as he added three blocks to his box score.
Although Fred VanVleet had a poor shooting night, going 2-of-7 from the floor and 0-for-3 from deep, his passing and playmaking improved the fluidity and ball safety of the offense. He dished out 5 assists and committed his first two turnovers of the season.
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Jalen Johnson continues to be the talisman for Atlanta, but his efficiency was subpar in this game. He did drop 21 points, but had a poor 36% field goal success rate. He also committed 4 turnovers and almost fouled out of the game in the fourth quarter, committing 5 personal fouls.
The Rockets will be confident that they can continue their winning streak, as they travel to Milwaukee on Wednesday, October 28, to face the struggling Bucks (1-3) for their next game.
