Sengun’s 36-point masterclass buries New Orleans in Houston rout

The game is tied after one, and for a few minutes it looks like New Orleans might be able to keep Houston honest. Then Alperen Sengun starts bending the floor to his will, and the Rockets never really let go. What follows is a relentless second-quarter surge, a 20-point halftime cushion, and a 134-102 road win that feels even more lopsided than the final margin suggests.

Sengun is the engine from the jump. He scores in the post, stretches the defense with five threes, and keeps finding the next crack in New Orleans’ coverage. Houston’s first real punch comes on the back of his spacing and playmaking: a 9-0 run late in the first capped by Sengun’s 25-foot three with A. Thompson credited for the assist, flipping a 29-28 edge into a 37-29 lead. That shot doesn’t just add points — it forces the Pelicans to chase Houston on the perimeter, and that’s exactly where the Rockets want them.

The turning point arrives in the second quarter, when Houston turns a close game into a controlled demolition. The run that breaks it open starts at 32-40 and explodes into a 32-52 margin, fueled by T. Eason knocking down a 25-footer and the Rockets stringing together 12 straight points. Kevin Durant adds a driving dunk earlier in the first, and then the scoring avalanche keeps coming with Jabari Smith Jr. and Sengun both punishing mismatches. By halftime, Houston has piled up 68 points and leads 68-47, with the Pelicans spending the rest of the night trying to play catch-up against an offense that looks completely in rhythm.

New Orleans has a brief answer to open the third. D. Murray strings together an 8-0 home run capped by a running finger roll layup, trimming the deficit from 49-72 to 56-73 and giving the building a pulse again. But every time the Pelicans hint at a push, Houston answers with something cleaner, quicker, and more efficient. Sengun keeps operating as a hub, Durant finishes with 20 points and six assists, and Jabari Smith Jr. gives the Rockets a sharp secondary scoring punch with 20 of his own. The visitors outscore New Orleans 101-80 through three, and the fourth quarter becomes little more than clock management.

Even in garbage time, the Rockets stay active. Clint Capela cleans up inside, including a running dunk with 22.8 seconds left, while the bench keeps the pressure on the glass and in passing lanes. The box score tells the story of Houston’s depth and physicality: Sengun finishes with 36 points, 13 rebounds, and 7 assists in 32 minutes; Capela grabs 14 boards in just 16 minutes; and Yves Missi’s four blocks are one of the few bright spots for New Orleans on a rough defensive night. The Pelicans never get closer than six after the early exchanges, and Houston’s biggest lead reaches 33.

For Houston, this is the kind of road win that reinforces why the Rockets can overwhelm teams when the offense is flowing through Sengun. He’s scoring, spacing, and creating all at once, and when Durant and Smith are finishing their chances, the ceiling jumps. For New Orleans, the concern is obvious: the possession quality cratered after the opening quarter, and there was no sustained answer once Houston started dictating pace and matchups. If these teams meet again, the Rockets walk in with the psychological edge — and the blueprint.