As the Houston Rockets attempt to take the necessary steps toward becoming a true contender in 2025-26, the most obvious swing factor lies in their blockbuster acquisition of superstar Kevin Durant.
Yet, as Alperen Sengun dominated Serbia in EuroBasket group play on Tuesday afternoon, his marquee matchup against Nikola Jokic has revealed the extent to which he must elevate his game against opposing bigs in order to propel his team toward a championship.
Through just over 36 minutes against Serbia, Sengun logged 28 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists while leading Turkiye to a 95-90 victory.