In Game 4 win, Rockets inspired by Alperen Sengun’s pregame message
“I didn’t give up on this series, and I just wanted to let everybody know,” Alperen Sengun says of his shootaround speech before Rockets-Lakers Game 4.
HOUSTON -- Entering Sunday’s Game 4, the Rockets trailed their first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers by a decisive 3-0 margin. In the history of the NBA playoffs, no team has ever overcome that margin to win a best-of-seven series. Making matters more challenging, Kevin Durant remains sidelined with an ankle injury.
So, with the odds seemingly against his team, All-Star center Alperen Sengun tried a different approach at his team’s gameday shootaround. He delivered a motivational speech. And according to his teammates, it helped set the tone ahead of Houston’s blowout Game 4 victory , which sets up a Game 5 on Wednesday night in Los Angeles.
“I didn’t give up on this series, and I just wanted to let everybody know,” Sengun said postgame. “I just wanted to do something different. I’m glad it worked, and everyone came out to play today.
Hopefully, everybody’s mindset has changed going into the fifth game. We saw it today, and I’m really happy for that. ” View this post on Instagram Sengun, 23, spoke very limited English when he joined the Rockets out of the 2021 NBA draft.