Alperen Sengun drops 43 points as Rockets beat Jazz, nears career high

Turkish basketball star Alperen Sengun scored 43 points as the Houston Rockets secured a 125-118 victory over the Utah Jazz in the NBA on Friday, finishing just two points short of his career-high scoring record.

Playing at Toyota Center in Houston, Sengun led all scorers with 43 points while adding 12 rebounds and five assists, helping the Rockets pick up their 10th win of the season.

Alperen Sengun #28 of the Houston Rockets leaves the court after the game against the Utah Jazz during a 2026 Emirates NBA Cup game on November 13, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. (AFP Photo)

Sengun comes close to breaking career record

The 43-point performance brought Sengun within two points of his personal NBA record of 45, which he set against the San Antonio Spurs on March 5, 2024.

Kevin Durant provided additional scoring support for Houston, finishing with 22 points, three rebounds and six assists as the team's second-leading scorer.

Alperen Sengun #28 of the Houston Rockets dunks against Mo Bamba #44 of the Utah Jazz during the 2026 Emirates NBA Cup at Toyota Center on November 13, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (AFP Photo)

Jazz suffer 12th defeat despite Peterson's 28 points

For the visiting Utah Jazz, Darryn Peterson led the scoring with 28 points and seven rebounds, while Keyonte George contributed 27 points, four rebounds and seven assists.

Despite their efforts, Utah fell to its 12th defeat of the season, while Houston continued its campaign with a 10th victory.

November 14, 2026 09:37 AM GMT+03:00