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Two players representing Türkiye delivered sharply different outcomes during the latest NBA Cup group-stage games on Friday, as Alperen Sengun led the Houston Rockets to a dominant win while Turkish national Adem Bona had a quiet night in a Philadelphia 76ers defeat.
Elsewhere, standout performances from Stephen Curry, James Harden, and Giannis Antetokounmpo highlighted a dramatic night across the league.
Houston Rockets recorded their first NBA Cup victory with a commanding 140–116 win over the Portland Trail Blazers, with center Alperen Sengun playing a key role and finishing just shy of a triple-double.
The 21-year-old tallied 25 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists at Toyota Center, supported by Jabari Smith with 22 points and Amen Thompson with 19. Despite a double-double from Deni Avdija (22 points, 10 rebounds) and 19 points from Shaedon Sharpe, Portland could not keep pace with Houston’s balanced offense.
Another Turkish national, Adem Bona, saw limited action in the Philadelphia 76ers’ 114–105 loss to the Detroit Pistons. The center contributed two points and five rebounds in a game dominated by a short-handed but effective Pistons roster.
Detroit extended its winning streak to nine games despite missing several key players, including Cade Cunningham and Tobias Harris. Javonte Green led the way with 21 points and nine rebounds, while Daniss Jenkins added 19. Tyrese Maxey scored 31 for Philadelphia, with VJ Edgecombe adding 18.
In other matches, Stephen Curry exploded for 49 points, leading the Golden State Warriors to a thrilling 109–108 win over the San Antonio Spurs, with nine three-pointers and clutch free throws in the final seconds.
The Los Angeles Lakers bounced back to improve to 2–0 in Cup play, defeating the New Orleans Pelicans 118–104 behind 31 points from Austin Reaves and a strong all-around performance by Luka Doncic.
James Harden posted a career-high 41-point triple-double, guiding the Los Angeles Clippers to a 133–127 double-overtime win against the Dallas Mavericks.
In New York, the Knicks edged the Miami Heat 140–132, powered by career highs from Karl-Anthony Towns (39 points) and Landry Shamet (36 points), along with a triple-double from Josh Hart.
Giannis Antetokounmpo returned from injury to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a 147–134 overtime victory over the Charlotte Hornets, contributing 25 points, seven rebounds, and 18 assists.
The NBA Cup, now in its third season, is designed as an in-season tournament with group-stage games folded into the regular-season calendar. Six groups are playing round-robin matchups, with results also counting toward regular standings.
Eight teams will advance to the quarterfinals, leading to the semifinals and final in Las Vegas this December.
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