NBA: Alperen Sengun, Kevin Durant fuel Rockets to chippy win over Wizards

Alperen Sengun scored 32 points, and Kevin Durant added 30 as the visiting Houston Rockets defeated the Washington Wizards 123-118 on Monday night.

Houston never trailed after the second quarter in a contest that became physical in the second half.

Bilal Coulibaly led the Wizards with a season-high 23 points and five 3-pointers, while Sharife Cooper contributed 21 points off the bench in just 17 minutes. Washington played without leading scorer Alex Sarr, and Jabari Smith Jr. missed his second consecutive game for Houston.

Amen Thompson added 22 points and 12 rebounds for the Rockets, and Reed Sheppard contributed 19 points with 10 assists. Houston dominated the boards 59-27, with Sengun grabbing a game-high 13 rebounds, and outscored Washington in the paint 62-40.

Before the game, former All-Star Trae Young announced on Instagram that he will make his Wizards debut Thursday night at home against the Jazz, but he did not witness the final moments Monday.

Midway through the third quarter, with Houston leading 90-73, Tari Eason shoved Wizards forward Jamir Watkins to the floor twice during a sequence of plays. Eason received two technical fouls and was ejected. Young was also ejected for leaving the bench.

Washington cut the deficit to 11 points with 4:17 remaining, but Houston responded. Durant made three free throws, and Sengun converted a putback and-one to extend the lead to 116-102 with three minutes left. Durant later received a technical foul with 29 seconds left for shoving a Wizards player out of bounds. Washington scored the final eight points of the game.

The Wizards sank eight three-pointers in the first quarter, leading 30-26, and finished 19-for-35 from beyond the arc. Julian Reese, brother of WNBA star Angel Reese, made his Wizards debut as the starting center, recording four rebounds, three steals, and one basket in 28 minutes before fouling out with 4:17 remaining.

The victory marked Houston’s seventh consecutive win over Washington.

-Field Level Media/Reuters