Alperen Sengun went on the injury report Oct. 27 with a back injury and was ruled out, a day after a 29-point, nine-assist night against Atlanta. Houston is 4-0 and first in the West, and it plays at Milwaukee tonight without its offensive hub.
Oct. 26
Sengun had 29 points, nine rebounds and nine assists in the 120-110 win over Atlanta, and Durant added 22. Through four games Sengun is averaging 24.5 points, 9.0 boards and 7.0 assists in 34.0 minutes, and he is 66.7 percent from deep. Houston scores 120.8 points per 100 possessions and allows 111.0. He is the center of that offense.
Oct. 27
The injury report moved in both directions. Sengun went from unlisted to out with his back, and his projected return is Oct. 30. Marcus Smart came off the out list for his left forearm and is projected back tonight. Steven Adams is still sidelined by his right calf, with Nov. 2 as his target date.
Tonight
Houston plays at Milwaukee on one day of rest, after four games in seven days. The Bucks are 1-3 under Taylor Jenkins, with a -5.7 margin per 100 possessions and a pace of 107.0, seven possessions faster than Houston's 100.0. Tyler Herro leads them at 23.5 points per game. With Sengun and Adams out, Clint Capela is the healthy veteran center.
Oct. 30 to Nov. 2
Fred VanVleet is averaging 7.0 assists across three games, the same as Sengun. Space City Scoop wrote Oct. 27 that his playmaking keeps paying off. The open question is whether the 120.8 offense holds up when the creating moves to VanVleet and Sheppard, who averages 5.0 assists, before Sengun's target date in Dallas.
Is Alperen Sengun playing tonight against the Bucks?
No. Sengun is out tonight with a back injury, and he is projected to return Oct. 30 at Dallas.
Is Marcus Smart available against Milwaukee?
Smart was upgraded from out on Oct. 27, and his projected return date is tonight, Oct. 28. His left forearm has kept him moving on and off the injury report since Oct. 24.
