Alperen Sengun turned Houston’s home floor into his own basketball classroom Monday night. The Rockets center scored 26 points, handed out 10 assists, and helped Houston pull away from the Celtics 109-93. Boston arrived at 5-1 trying to prove its new-look group could handle a major road challenge. Houston, which entered 6-1, showed why its fast start has real strength: Sengun could score himself or create an open shot for someone else.

The first quarter was a sprint with neither team able to break free. Houston jumped ahead 13-8 when Amen Thompson finished an alley-oop dunk and then added a driving layup. Boston answered with a three-pointer from Celtics guard Scheierman, and later two more from center Luka Garza. The Celtics tied the game 29-29 by the end of the quarter after Jayson Tatum made two free throws with 1.6 seconds left.

Houston found its rhythm in the second quarter by making Boston defend the whole floor. Sengun drove for a layup, found Jabari Smith Jr. for a three-pointer, and then dunked off a pass from Marcus Smart. The Rockets moved ahead 38-32. Boston kept fighting behind Garza’s outside shooting and a Tatum-to-Mitchell Robinson alley-oop, but Houston’s activity kept building. Thompson stole a pass and raced in for a dunk, while Tari Eason scored after Kevin Durant blocked Tatum’s long shot. Sengun later set up Durant for a dunk, and Houston carried a 57-50 lead into halftime.

Boston made its strongest push early in the third. Neemias Queta hit a three-pointer, then scored twice on tip shots after grabbing misses. Scheierman drilled another three, and Robinson finished another lob from Tatum to cut the score to 63-62. That was the moment Houston could have wobbled. Instead, Fred VanVleet hit a pullup jumper, Smith answered with a three, and Sengun powered in a dunk. The Rockets rebuilt their lead and finished the quarter ahead 82-73.

Then Houston’s passing game slammed the door. Smart hit back-to-back three-pointers, Reed Sheppard added a three and a fast-break layup, and Sengun kept finding teammates from the middle of the floor. His assist to Sheppard made it 100-82 with 6:24 left. Boston had 13 offensive rebounds, meaning extra chances after missed shots, but could not turn enough of them into points. The Celtics shot 32-for-83, while Houston made 43 of 79 shots and piled up 34 assists.

Tatum led Boston with 19 points and nine assists, while Queta scored 16 and Garza added 14. Yet Sengun’s steady control mattered most. Smith added 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Eason scored 13 as Houston rose to 7-1. The Rockets next face Minnesota with another strong early chapter behind them. Boston falls to 5-2 and heads to Milwaukee, knowing its defense and ball movement must sharpen for the next challenge.

Alperen Sengun Conducts Houston’s 109-93 Win Over Boston