Kofi Inkoom
The Houston Rockets have received an encouraging news regarding the injury to their top scorer, Alperen Şengün.
The 21-year-old left Sunday night’s victory over the Sacramento Kings due to a right knee injury, as per various reports.
According to the team, X-rays and an MRI after the game showed a “severely sprained ankle (Grade 3) and a knee bone bruise,” ruling out any fractures or tears.
Official update on Alperen Şengün, per @HoustonRockets Head Coach Ime Udoka:
Severe ankle sprain, Grade 3
Bone bruise in the knee
Nothing broken; no ligaments torn.
Timeline is 3-4 weeks.— Vanessa Richardson (@SportsVanessa) March 12, 2024
Head coach Ume Udoka confirmed a 3-4 week recovery timeline for Şengün, although the Rockets are unlikely to rush his return.
However, with the current timetable, there’s much optimism that he’ll return before the season ends if his absence is limited to just three weeks. Conversely, if his injury extends beyond that, it’s likely that his season will be over.
The team currently trails 10th-place Golden State by 4.5 games in the Western Conference Play-In tournament race.
Şengün, who scored 14 points before the injury, was hurt while landing awkwardly while contesting a shot on defense.
Despite his absence, the Rockets managed to secure a 112-104 victory. He leads Houston in scoring this season, averaging a career-best 21.2 points per game.
Additionally, Cam Whitmore is sidelined for at least three weeks due to sprained LCL, while Tari Eason is out for the remainder of the season after undergoing left tibia surgery.