It didn't even take two games for Alperen Sengun to solve Rockets' biggest problem

As the Houston Rockets lost Fred VanVleet to a devastating ACL injury just a few weeks before the start of the season, their most desperate need became crystal clear: playmaking across the roster.

While players like Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard will likely take over VanVleet's positional duties as the season begins, franchise center Alperen Sengun will be responsible for increasing his playmaking workload in order to keep the offense afloat, and his performance in the team's first two preseason game bodes well for this to be a major strength of his this season.

With Kevin Durant now on the roster, Sengun's scoring responsibilities will lessen slightly insofar as he will no longer be the team's go-to scorer in the clutch, and he should be able to become more of a facilitator for this team as the season wears on.

Alperen Sengun flashed his playmaking skills agains the Utah Jazz

In his fourth season, Sengun veritably broke out as one of the most dynamic centers in the NBA, averaging 19.1 points, 10.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists while getting the nod to his first career All-Star Game.

Yet, as his defensive game solidified in the midst of the Rockets forming one of the best defensive fronts in the league, his offensive game in the clutch, and the offensive viability of the team as a whole, remained relatively underwhelming.

Yet, despite the flashy rebounding numbers and the improved defense, an underrated aspect of Sengun's game remains his facilitation and ability to operate as the team's offensive hub.

This skill was on full display in the team's second preseason game against the Utah Jazz, as Sengun posted an absurd 13 assists coupled with 13 points and five rebounds.

Not only did Sengun make some excellent passes throughout the game, he also operated as the team's primary offensive facilitator for large stretches of his time on the court and was integral in almost every major play that the team's starting unit made:

Last season, Sengun averaged 5.6 assists per 36 minutes on the floor: a number that rivaled VanVleet's 5.7 mark in that same category.

Therefore, if Sengun can continue to flash these abilities as a playmaker and a continued enhancement of his court vision, he could alleviate much of the anxiety surrounding the team's lack of a genuine point guard.

Moreover, the attention that Durant will command from opposing defenses will further free Sengun up to make the right passes from the paint, and seeing this performance in the duo's first game together is a highly encouraging sign.