Rockets open to experimenting with Alperen Sengun, Christian Wood lineups

With both big men playing well, the Houston Rockets utilized a new lineup in Friday’s win over Orlando, with Christian Wood and rookie Alperen Sengun sharing the court until less than two minutes were left.

The choice made by head coach Stephen Silas felt quite noteworthy, since the current five-game winning streak by Houston (6-16) started when the Rockets abandoned their dual-big starting lineup with Wood and Daniel Theis, which often led to cramped floor spacing on offense.

But Sengun is clearly a better passer than Theis, and he’s also shot better on 3-pointers this season (40.0% vs. 29.8% entering Sunday), which might give the Sengun-Wood configuration a better chance to succeed.

When asked whether he could use the Wood-Sengun pairing more in future games, Silas said on Friday night:

Silas noted that the decision to keep Sengun on the floor after Wood returned to the game in Friday’s fourth quarter (with 6:40 left) was made easier thanks to the departure of starting point guard Kevin Porter Jr. (left thigh contusion). Even though he plays a very different position, that left Silas with one less rotation player to find minutes for.

Wood offered a more measured take. He conceded that Friday’s results were “iffy,” but offered hope of better days being ahead.

The offense did bog down late for the Rockets, who saw the Magic climb back into Friday’s game via a 9-0 run in the final two-plus minutes of the dual-big pairing. That led to Danuel House Jr. replacing Sengun with 1:51 left. But it’s also worth noting that Houston only had that sizable lead thanks to an earlier 12-1 burst in that fourth quarter, and 8 of those 12 points came with Wood and Sengun sharing the court.

“When we play together, I think we have good communication,” Sengun said via an interpreter at Saturday’s practice. “I like to play with him. He also finishes quick. That’s important for me to utilize my passing skill.”

In addition to superior passing and shooting, another reason for Sengun to be viewed differently than Theis (in terms of a fit with Wood) could simply be his value as a prospect. At 29 years old, Theis clearly isn’t a long-term fixture in Houston’s rebuilding plan. On the other hand, the 19-year-old rookie from Turkey — who was taken in the first round of the 2021 NBA draft — is viewed as a key piece. Thus, the Rockets are likely open to any potential paths to boost his minutes (and development).

Whatever the reason, the next opportunity to potentially test out that pairing could come Sunday night, when Houston hosts New Orleans (7-18) at Toyota Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. Central.

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