Alperen Sengun's rim protection needs to be Rockets game-changer next season

Despite their strong defensive reputation, the Rockets were a middling team last season when it came to protecting the rim. To seriously compete for deep playoff run, they will need to improve in that area and the charge must be led by All-Star center Alperen Sengun.

Sengun is a force on offense, but his poor defense has raised questions about his long-term future with the Rockets and even brought up the notion of a defensive upgrade in his place. Sengun still has time to silence the critics, but Houston needs to see his defense get better as soon as possible.

The Rockets should be better on defense

Overall, Houston was still a very solid defensive team last season. They had the 6th best defensive rating in the NBA last season. Much of that was boosted by strong defense from the wings, especially disruptors like Amen Thompson and Tari Eason.

But their rim protection numbers still left a lot to be desired. The Rockets allowed the 13th highest frequency of shots at the rim last season, with around 34.3% of opponent attempts coming there. That was a striking increase from the best defenses, such as the Thunder and Spurs, that allowed just under 30% of attempts to come at the rim.

Additionally, the Rockets allowed opponents to hit 62.5% of those shots, which is right around league average. For comparison, the very best defenses in that category were the Thunder at just 57.6% and the Pistons at 59.3%. The Rockets' rim protection was solid, but clearly not on the same tier as other teams built in the same vein on defensive foundations.

Sengun is holding back Houston's defense

Despite the Rockets' well-rounded defensive roster, they have a massive hole in the middle with Sengun's lackluster defense. The return of Steven Adams from injury could have some benefits on rim protection, but he's not exactly known for contesting shots at this stage in his career either. Either way, Sengun needs to step up as the starting center and take the Rockets' defense to another level.

Since Sengun is not an elite rim protector, Houston has to rely more on other frontcourt players to pick up the slack. That worked to a degree last season, as Jabari Smith Jr, Kevin Durant and Amen Thompson all helped out with rim protection. But a defensive leap from Sengun will free up those players to be more aggressive in their own matchups or even save energy for offense.

Sengun has already shown some strides as a defender in recent seasons. He needs to continue improving his mobility and ability to vertically contest at the rim. The Rockets are already close to an elite defense with an ever-improving defense; Sengun holds the key to reaching the top tier of team defense.

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