Alperen Sengun has final chance to send emphatic message to Rockets

Alperen Sengun is fighting a toxic coaching situation and poor roster fit, but still managed to turn into a superstar performance in Game 3 for the Rockets. Unfortunately, the Rockets still fell into a 3-0 deficit and Sengun's own role in the team's future is now in question, but he'll have more opportunities to prove his worth before the series is over. Sengun's remaining postseason play will have a major impact on how the front office views him going into a pivotal offseason.

Sengun isn't guaranteed a spot as a Rockets pillar

After his terrible performance in Game 1, Sengun's playoff value has come under fire. He responded with a strong 33 points, 16 rebounds and 6 assists in Game 3. Even though the Rockets had a historic collapse that changed everything, Sengun was definitely a bright spot for Houston.

His numbers for the series as a whole look solid - 24 points, 12 rebounds and 6 assists per game while shooting 45% from the field. He's even added 2.7 steals and 1.3 blocks per game to add some defensive value. But Sengun hasn't been able to lead the Rockets to any wins yet, and his deeper efficiency numbers tell another story.

Sengun is shooting just 12% from three-point range in the series, which limits his spacing and makes lanes more clogged for his teammates. His defense has also been a major problem at times, despite the solid steals and blocks numbers. All in all, Sengun's flaws are making him a questionable fit as the primary option for the Rockets and next to Amen Thompson.

Of course, Sengun is currently being overtasked since he is usually the secondary option. He's been solid in that role all season playing alongside superstar Kevin Durant, but Durant has missed most of this series with injuries. Those inopportune absences have forced Sengun into a starring role that has been too much for him so far, but will probably be something the Rockets need from him long-term.

Sengun needs to turn the Rockets' series around

If the Rockets want to keep Sengun as a franchise cornerstone, they will have to commit their resources to building around his unique strengths and noticeable flaws. Before they make that decision, they will definitely need to see Sengun lead the team to more competitive games against the Lakers. In both Game 1 and Game 2, the Rockets lost by comfortable margin - and they had a historic collapse in Game 3.

Alperen Sengun desperately needs to show that he can be a true superstar for the Rockets. If he isn't able to turn himself and the team around in Game 4, he could find himself on the trade market very soon.

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