NBA Finals are exposing the Rockets’ biggest Alperen Sengun concern

This year’s NBA Finals is the latest reminder that defense wins championships. Both the Spurs and Knicks were among the best defensive teams during the regular season, but have further stepped up defensively in the playoffs.

It is not hard to see why both teams are defensive juggernauts. The Spurs have a 7’5” alien roaming the paint, and the Knicks have some of the best wing stoppers in the league.

What has really set the Knicks apart in the playoffs is how their starting center, Karl-Anthony Towns, has upped his defensive intensity. Towns has gained the reputation as being a weaker defensive player, but he has quieted some of those concerns with his defensive play in the playoffs.

It is no coincidence that the Knicks’ historic run has coincided with Towns' increased defensive intensity. The center position is usually considered the most important defensive position on the floor. That is where the Houston Rockets have the largest question marks on the defensive end.

Playoff basketball exposes every weakness

Alperen Sengun is without question a star player in the NBA. The 23-year-old has averaged 20.1 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 5.4 assists over the last three seasons. However, his defensive play has left a lot to be desired.

Despite Sengun’s deficiencies, the Rockets had the sixth-best defensive rating during the regular season. The team has a defensive culture and several defensive-minded role players.

But we see every season that playoff basketball is much different than the regular season. In the playoffs, a team's weaknesses are attacked relentlessly. For the Rockets, one of those weaknesses is their defensively limited center. Can Houston build a championship-level defense with Alperen Sengun playing 35-40 minutes a night in the playoffs?

Houston needs to find Sengun’s defensive ceiling

That is one of the most important questions the front office needs to answer when building for the future. If the Rockets eventually decide Sengun cannot anchor a championship-level playoff defense, then Houston will be stuck in a tier below the top contenders in the league and may have to consider moving on from Sengun.

That being said, Houston needs to be patient with the young center. At 23 years old, he has elite offensive upside. If he can figure out how to effectively contribute on defense, then he will be a critical part of a potential contender.

Houston does not need to rush into a franchise-altering decision. But before the Rockets can truly know what this core is capable of, they need to figure out Sengun’s defensive ceiling.

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