Rockets Searching for Answers as Alperen Şengün Struggles and Fred VanVleet’s Absence Looms Large
HOUSTON - The Rockets are hitting a rough patch, and it’s showing on both ends of the floor. Thursday night’s home loss to the Hornets marked Houston’s second straight double-digit defeat to a road underdog. And while the Rockets still sit fourth in the Western Conference standings at 31-19, the cracks are starting to show - particularly in the areas that were once their calling cards.
Let’s start with Alperen Şengün. Just a year removed from an All-Star nod, the 23-year-old big man is in the midst of a slump that’s becoming hard to ignore.
Against Charlotte, Şengün finished with just 7 points on 3-of-11 shooting. That’s 27.3% from the field - far from the efficient post presence he’s known to be.
But it wasn’t just the missed shots. His defensive struggles were just as glaring, and both head coach Ime Udoka and veteran forward Kevin Durant didn’t hold back when addressing the team’s lack of intensity.
“There’s no fight, no aggression,” Udoka said bluntly after the game. “In the past, if we didn’t win or weren’t going to win, at least we would get into it and do something about it. Right now, it’s the same mistakes over and over and over.”
It’s not just a matter of effort - there’s a deeper issue with cohesion and leadership, especially in the absence of Fred VanVleet. And Şengün knows it.
When asked about the team’s recurring issues on both ends of the floor, Şengün pointed directly to the missing piece: “The difference is Fred,” he said. “Last year, we were struggling at some points, and Fred would settle us down and talk to us. I mean, Amen [Thompson] is still doing a great job this season, and Reed [Sheppard] is doing a great job, but the Fred effect was big.”
That “Fred effect” - the calming presence, the floor general instincts, the ability to get guys the ball in their spots - it’s hard to quantify, but it’s clearly missed. VanVleet’s leadership was a stabilizing force, especially for a young core still learning how to win consistently in the NBA. Without him (out with an ACL tear), the Rockets have had to lean more heavily on inexperienced guards and, increasingly, on Durant to fill the leadership void.
Şengün didn’t dodge accountability, though. He acknowledged that the team’s youth is part of the growing pains, but he also made it clear that he expects more from himself.
“We’re all learning. I’m learning.
We have Kevin now, one of the best offensive players in history,” Şengün said. “But if you look at the difference, I would say it’s much more Freddy.”
That’s a telling quote. It speaks to the respect VanVleet commands in the locker room, but also to the challenge Houston faces in his absence.
The Rockets have talent - no question. But talent without direction can drift, and right now, that’s what we’re seeing.
The numbers back it up. Last season, Houston’s defense actually improved with Şengün on the floor - a 2.7-point bump in net defensive rating.
This year? They’re 7.9 points worse when he’s out there.
That’s a massive swing, and it’s tough to ignore the correlation with VanVleet’s injury.
Since returning from a sprained ankle on January 11, Şengün has played in 15 games and is shooting just 46.6% from the field - well below his usual efficiency. And when your offensive rhythm is off, it often bleeds into the other side of the ball. That seems to be the case here.
“It’s tough when a lot of guys are slumping,” Udoka said. “But you still have to make plays for others, not just worry about shooting being the only way you impact the game. You can still make plays, and then you have to defend, as well.”
That’s the message from the coaching staff: find ways to contribute, even when the shot isn’t falling. For Şengün, that means anchoring the defense, facilitating from the high post, and setting the tone with energy - the kind of All-Star impact that goes beyond the box score.
And while Durant didn’t sugarcoat the team’s recent slide, he also made it clear that the response is what matters now.
“We can’t let this dive us deeper into the abyss of just, like, negative s-,” Durant said. “I could talk all day about what we should be doing, or mentality, or how you feel.
It doesn’t really matter. We’ve just got to go out there and do our job.”
The Rockets still hold the No. 4 seed in the West, but the margin for error is shrinking. They’re just one game ahead of the Suns for the No. 7 seed - a spot that would send them into the play-in tournament rather than directly into the playoffs.
With 32 games left, there’s time to right the ship. But the urgency is real.
For Şengün, that means stepping back into the role of cornerstone - not just in name, but in presence and performance.
“Before everyone, I’ve got to look in the mirror and come and play every night like an All-Star,” he said. “Play like our best player on the court - that’s how I’ve got to play.”
That’s the mindset Houston needs from its young center. Because if the Rockets want to avoid slipping into the play-in picture, they’ll need more than just talent. They’ll need leadership, accountability, and a little bit of that “Fred effect” - even if it has to come from someone else.