INDIANAPOLIS — Alperen Sengun posted 39 points, 16 rebounds and five assists to lead the Rockets to a 118-114 win over the Pacers on Monday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse despite playing without former MVP Kevin Durant.
The Pacers fell to 13-37 after winning three of their previous four games and are in last place in the Eastern Conference. The Rockets improved to 31-17 and sit in fourth place in the West.
Forward Jabari Smith Jr. added 19 points for the Rockets. Guard Amen Thompson had 16 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. Guard Reed Sheppard had 11 points. Forward Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 27 points. Guard Bennedict Mathurin had 25 points. Forward Aaron Nesmith had 17 points and Jarace Walker had 12.
Alperen Sengun, rebounding doom Pacers
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said in his pregame press conference that playing the Rockets without Kevin Durant just meant playing an even more physical team that would be even more dogged on the glass and in the paint. And Carlisle was as prophetic as he often is.
With Durant out, the Rockets leaned on center Alperen Sengun. The Pacers started Jay Huff at center after using a smaller lineup for the last four games and Huff wasn’t able to provide much resistance. Isaiah Jackson got plenty of minutes, but he had a tough time with Sengun too. Sengun scored 39 points on 13 of 25 shooting from the field and 13 of 18 from the line and he grabbed 16 rebounds and dished out five assists.
Sengun’s presence on the glass was also huge and helped the Rockets take an overwhelming lead in the rebounding stats. Houston outrebounded the Pacers 56-33 with Thompson also grabbing 11 boards and forward Tari Eason 10. The Rockets recorded 19 offensive rebounds to the Pacers’ seven and posted 30 second-chance points to the Pacers’ eight. The Rockets had four critical offensive rebounds and seven second-chance points in the fourth quarter to help put the game away.
Aaron Nesmith continues efficient shooting
Since a Nov. 13 knee sprain that cost him approximately six weeks, Aaron Nesmith has had a winding road returning to his old self on both ends of the floor. However in his last five games he’s playing some of his best basketball and is returning to the level of efficiency that made him one of the Pacers’ most important playoff performers last season.
Nesmith scored in double figures for the fifth straight game on Monday night, finishing with 17 points on 6 of 13 shooting and 3 of 7 from 3-point range. In each of the five games he’s scored in double figures, he’s also hit at least three 3-pointers. Nesmith also finished with six rebounds and two assists and he played strong defense on Thompson, who finished with 16 points on 6 of 15 shooting.
Isaiah Jackson productive off the bench
The Pacers’ recent use of small starting lineups with no true center has cut into minutes for all three of the Pacers’ traditional 5 men, but Isaiah Jackson has been hit the hardest. Prior to Monday night, he had played more than 10 minutes in a game just once since Jan. 19 and he scored a grand total of four points in those six games on 2 of 5 shooting.
The Pacers went bigger on Monday to make sure there was a center in the starting lineup to deal with Sengun. Huff got the start and found it almost impossible to keep Sengun away from the rim without fouling him, so the Pacers had to give heavy minutes to Jackson. He struggled with Sengun as well but was able to provide a little more resistance and had strong moments when Sengun was off the floor.
Jackson finished with six points on 2 of 5 shooting, six rebounds, four assists, four steals and two blocks. In his first shift of 10 minutes and 17 seconds from the first quarter into the second he was +8 and he finished +4 for the game. All told it was a reminder as the Pacers head into the trade deadline in need of a center that Jackson still can be of some service at the position.
Dustin Dopirak covers the Pacers all season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Pacers Insider newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Pacers vs Rockets: Indiana gets destroyed on the glass in 118-114 loss