Rockets’ Alperen Sengun Sparks Comeback, Ignites Rivalry with LeBron James

Key facts

• Rockets trail Lakers 3-2 in first-round series after winning Game 5 99-93.
• Sengun delivered a rare motivational speech before Game 4, leading to a blowout win.
• Sengun and James exchanged heated words at the free-throw line in Game 5, with James shouting, 'You don’t say that!'
• Sengun recorded 14 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists in Game 5.
• James scored 25 points but missed two three-pointers in the final 30 seconds of Game 5.
• Kevin Durant remains sidelined for Houston; Luka Doncic is also out for Los Angeles.
• No NBA team has ever overcome a 3-0 series deficit.

A Series Reborn

The Houston Rockets have refused to let their season end quietly. After falling into a 3-0 hole against the Los Angeles Lakers, a deficit from which no NBA team has ever recovered, the Rockets have clawed back with two consecutive victories, forcing a Game 6 in Houston. The turnaround has been fueled by Alperen Sengun, the 23-year-old Turkish center who has emerged as both the emotional and tactical engine of the Rockets’ resurgence. Sengun’s leadership crystallized before Game 4, when he delivered an uncharacteristic speech to the entire team. “I didn’t give up on this series, and I just wanted to let everybody know,” Sengun said afterward. “I just wanted to do something different.” The speech propelled the Rockets to a 115-96 blowout win, staving off elimination for the first time.

Game 5: Tempers and Triumph

In Game 5, the Rockets won 99-93, trimming the Lakers’ series lead to 3-2. Every Houston starter scored in double figures, with Jabari Smith contributing 22 points and Tari Eason adding 18. Sengun posted 14 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists, but his stat line was overshadowed by a heated confrontation with LeBron James late in the fourth quarter. With about 5:30 remaining, Sengun, frustrated by a foul call favoring James, muttered what sounded like “soft a call” within earshot of the four-time MVP. James immediately spat out his mouthguard and fired back, repeatedly shouting, “You don’t say that! You’re the only person here who ain’t allowed to say that! ‘Soft a tall guy,’ yeah, right!” The exchange capped a physical night that included an earlier elbow from Sengun to James’s face.

A Budding Rivalry Across Generations

The tension between James and Sengun is not new. After Game 1, a clip appeared to show Sengun standing as James walked by, sparking speculation of deference. Sengun quickly dismissed that narrative, explaining he was simply retrieving something from his pocket. “No disrespect to LeBron, of course, but I didn’t stand up for him,” he said. Despite the on-court friction, Sengun has long admired James. “I was just watching videos to get better, going to the internet cafe in town, just watching some YouTube videos, Michael Jordan, LeBron,” he told The Athletic in 2025. James, in turn, praised Sengun’s summer performance at FIBA EuroBasket 2025, where Sengun led Turkey to an 8-1 record and all-tournament honors. “Hell of a summer,” James said on his podcast. “I think he’s going to ride that wave right to Houston and have a big year for them.”

Sengun’s Evolution as a Leader

Sengun’s pre-game speech marked a turning point for a young Rockets core that had been written off. “I don’t talk that much. I talk during the game. Today, I had a good talk, I think,” Sengun said, adding that teammate Amen Thompson told him, “You really motivate me.” Sengun, who joined the Rockets in 2021, is one of only two players remaining from the original rebuilding team, alongside Jae’Sean Tate. “I think of it as this is my team. I need to take care of everybody,” Sengun said. “I’m ready for anything for them. I will do anything for them. They’ll do anything for me. I will talk, fight, do something, and show them.” His English, which once required a translator, has improved markedly, a fact he noted with a smile: “At the end of the day, they understand me, and I’m happy about that.”

The Stakes for Game 6

The series now shifts back to Houston for Game 6, with the Lakers still holding a 3-2 lead but facing a suddenly confident Rockets team. Kevin Durant remains sidelined for Houston, and Luka Doncic is also out for Los Angeles, leaving both teams shorthanded. Lakers guard Austin Reaves returned from an oblique injury in Game 5, scoring 22 points and hitting 12 of 13 free throws, but he missed 12 of 16 shots and committed three turnovers. For the Rockets, the challenge is sustaining the momentum they have built. “Everybody is feeling amazing,” Sengun said after Game 5. “Nobody is tired. Today everybody showed it.” The Lakers, meanwhile, must regroup after squandering a 3-0 lead. James led the Lakers with 25 points and seven assists in Game 5 but missed two three-pointers in the final 30 seconds that could have tied the game.

History Against the Rockets, but Belief Remains

No NBA team has ever overcome a 3-0 series deficit, a fact that looms over Houston’s comeback. Yet the Rockets have already achieved what few thought possible: forcing a Game 6 after a devastating Game 3 loss in which they gave up a six-point lead in the final 30 seconds. “There’s no time to be upset about it. We moved on and came out to play,” Sengun said. The Rockets’ resilience has transformed a series that once seemed destined for a sweep into a high-stakes dogfight. Whether they can complete the improbable turnaround depends on sustaining the defensive intensity and offensive balance that have defined their last two wins. For Sengun, the mission is clear: “Hopefully, everybody’s mindset has changed for Game 5.” Now, with Game 6 looming, the question is whether that mindset can carry them further.

The bottom line

• Alperen Sengun has emerged as the Rockets’ leader, both vocally and on the court, during their comeback from a 3-0 series deficit.
• A heated exchange between Sengun and LeBron James in Game 5 underscores a growing rivalry between the two generations of stars.
• Sengun’s pre-game speech before Game 4 sparked a blowout win, demonstrating his maturity and influence on the young Rockets core.
• The Rockets have won two straight games to force a Game 6, but no NBA team has ever overcome a 3-0 deficit.
• Both teams are missing key players: Kevin Durant for Houston and Luka Doncic for Los Angeles, adding uncertainty to the series outcome.
• Sengun’s admiration for James and James’s prior praise of Sengun highlight a complex relationship that blends respect with on-court animosity.