Watch bloodied Alpern Sengun block shot to force OT vs. Timberwolves

On Wednesday night, in a game loaded with playoff implications in the Western Conference, the Houston Rockets defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves in a 110-108 overtime classic at the Target Center. Down 13 in the extra period, Minnesota mounted the largest overtime comeback in NBA history, capped by Julius Randle’s clutch jumper with 8.8 seconds on the clock.

Alpern Sengun led Houston with 30 points on 22 shots and finished with four blocks. His most dramatic play came at the end of regulation when he blocked Randle while sustaining a bloody lip, keeping the Rockets alive and forcing overtime.

Kevin Durant matched Sengun with 30 points, but got off to a slow start, shooting 1 of 6 in the first quarter and 2 of 11 before halftime, although he scored the final seven points for Houston in the fourth quarter to tie the game. Jabari Smith Jr. and Reed Shepard shot 10 of 28 with five turnovers, while Amen Thompson just missed a triple-double with 11 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.

The Timberwolves were missing five of their top seven players, including Anthony Edwards (knee), Ayo Dosunmu (calf), and Rudy Gobert, who fouled out with 14 points, 14 rebounds, and five blocks. Still, Minnesota got needed contributions from Randle (24 points), Jaden McDaniels (25 points on 10 of 17 shooting), Donte DiVincenzo (17 points), and Naz Reed (14 points, 13 rebounds). Mike Conley and Kyle Anderson also provided key scoring late in overtime.

Houston had a chance to close out the game when Sengun’s dunk gave them a 108–95 lead in overtime, but Minnesota cut the lead with a series of threes, layups and free throws, tying it at 108–all before Randle’s game-winning jumper.

At 43-29, the Rockets are in sixth place in the West, 1.5 games behind the fifth-place Timberwolves (45-28), with the Phoenix Suns in seventh. Houston faces the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday and plays Minnesota again on April 10.


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