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<\/p>\nThe Houston Rockets turned Toyota Center into a one-sided showcase Tuesday, blasting the Sacramento Kings 128-97 as Turkish star Alperen \u015eeng\u00fcn posted a dominant triple-double. The win lifted Houston to 36-21, solidifying their grip on third place in the Western Conference.<\/p>\n
\u015eeng\u00fcn, the 22-year-old center and cornerstone of Houston\u2019s young core, finished with 26 points on 9-of-13 shooting, 13 rebounds, 11 assists, 2 steals and 3 blocks in just 32 minutes. It was his third triple-double of the season and 11th career in the NBA.<\/p>\n
The former Be\u015fikta\u015f standout has become indispensable to Houston\u2019s playoff push, combining scoring, playmaking and defensive versatility in a team that ranks among the league\u2019s top defenses.<\/p>\n
Rookie guard Reed Sheppard added a career-high 28 points, hitting seven three-pointers in place of the injured Amen Thompson.<\/p>\n
Veteran forward Kevin Durant contributed 21 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists, complementing Houston\u2019s high-powered offense and helping the team dominate both the glass and transition play.<\/p>\n
The Rockets shot 54.7% from the field and turned a competitive start into a blowout by the third quarter, marking their largest margin of victory this season.<\/p>\n
Sacramento, meanwhile, fell to 13-47. Russell Westbrook scored 22 points with 5 rebounds and 3 assists, while DeMar DeRozan and rookie Nique Clifford each had 15 points.<\/p>\n
DeRozan reached a career milestone, passing John Havlicek and Paul Pierce to move into the top 20 all-time scorers with 26,406 regular-season points.<\/p>\n
Despite the loss, his consistency and mid-range scoring keep him climbing the historical ranks in his 17th NBA season.<\/p>\n
Pistons upset extinguish Thunder<\/p>\n
In another key matchup, the Detroit Pistons overcame the injury-depleted Oklahoma City Thunder 124-116 at Little Caesars Arena.<\/p>\n
Detroit improved to 43-14, holding strong atop the Eastern Conference and continuing a breakout season few predicted for the franchise.<\/p>\n
Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 29 points and 13 assists, while big man Jalen Duren matched his scoring and added 15 rebounds, anchoring Detroit on both ends.<\/p>\n
Home dominance continues to fuel Detroit\u2019s push, now 22-7 at Little Caesars Arena.<\/p>\n
The Thunder, Western Conference leaders entering the night at 45-14, played without six top scorers, including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren.<\/p>\n
Jaylin Williams shone with 30 points and 11 rebounds and guard Cason Wallace added 23 points.<\/p>\n
Despite the loss, Oklahoma City\u2019s depth and resilience under Mark Daigneault remain a threat as they chase a repeat title.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
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