HOUSTON (SportsRadio 610)- Mired in an early season slump, Rockets center Alperen Sengun had a chat with head coach Ime Udoka on Monday morning, hours before taking on the New York Knicks.
"It always helps talking with him," Sengun said. "He was just trying to help me get my confidence back. That's what he does."
Sengun entered Monday's game shooting just 38.6 percent from the field, and did not play in the fourth quarter or overtime of the Rockets loss to the Warriors on Saturday. He bounced back 48 hours later.
In a matchup the Rockets felt was favorable, Sengun played his best game of the season on Monday, finishing with 25 points on 11-of-15 shooting and 14 rebounds in leading the Rockets to a 109-97 win over one of the Eastern Conference's best teams.
The Rockets center made all four of his shots from inside the restricted area after converting on just 41.3 percent of those shots through the first six games, which was 88th among the 89 players with 20 attempts or more.
"I thought he had a phenomenal game," Udoka said. "Stuffed the stat sheet across the board, and took on the challenge at both ends."
Sengun didn't think his confidence had suffered leading into the Monday's game, he was simply missing shots he normally makes. Last season he converted on 66.4 percent of his restricted area attempts, so he knew it was only a matter of time before those shots started to drop.
"He's a beast down there," Rockets guard Jalen Green said. "I've been seeing it for so long. Happy he got on page and was himself."
VanVleet breaks out of his slump
Sengun wasn't the only Rockets starter stuck in a shooting slump the start the season. Fred VanVleet entered Monday's game shooting 28 percent from the field and from behind the three-point line, so his 8-of-13 effort against the Knicks was a welcome sight.
"I try not to have two bad games in a row, but that hasn't been the case as of late," VanVleet said. "I needed to get a good one, and hopefully I can build on it."
In his first season with the Rockets, 57.5 percent of VanVleet's shot attempts came from behind the three-point line, but that number increased to 68 percent through the first six games of this season. On Monday, only five of his 13 shots came from long distance.
"I ain't been able to make a damn three, so try to get to the line and get some layups or something, see the ball go in a couple of times, and just put pressure on the defense," VanVleet said. "So tried to come out a little aggressive early, and just get us going, set the tone until my shot starts falling."
VanVleet only made 1-of-5 attempts from three-point range on Monday, though he did have his foot on the line on one of his first shots of the night, but he made it clear that he will never stop shooting them.
"I'll shoot it anytime. 0-for-20, 20-for-20, I'm shooting it. I play every game like it's my last. I play to win. I don't play for Twitter. I don't play for stats. I play to win every game, and some people love it, some people hate it, but I play the game to win."
Sheppard plays with more aggressiveness
Reed Sheppard hasn't been able to quite find his footing early in his rookie year, but Monday was a step in the right direction. The third overall pick in June's draft finished with a season-high seven points while playing 14 minutes after not exceeding seven minutes in the previous four games.
"I think it was good to see him hunt some shots," Udoka said. "I think he still can get some more off that he's passing up and trying to be unselfish, but at the same time, he's learning the pace of the game and the space that he needs to get those off."
Sheppard attempted eight shots on Monday after not attempting more than five in his first six NBA games, and while he only made three, two of his three-point misses rimmed out, and VanVleet believes it's only a matter of time before those shots start to fall.
"He'll find his way," VanVleet said. "Young kid, never really played at this level before. Had a good camp, but regular season's a little bit different, so it looks like he's getting his legs under him, finding this rhythm, and he's gonna have his time this year for sure."
