HOUSTON -- Entering Sunday’s Game 4, the Rockets trailed their first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers by a decisive 3-0 margin.
In the history of the NBA playoffs, no team has ever overcome that margin to win a best-of-seven series. Making matters more challenging, Kevin Durant remains sidelined with an ankle injury.
So, with the odds seemingly against his team, All-Star center Alperen Sengun tried a different approach at his team’s gameday shootaround. He delivered a motivational speech.
And according to his teammates, it helped set the tone ahead of Houston’s blowout Game 4 victory, which sets up a Game 5 on Wednesday night in Los Angeles.
“I didn’t give up on this series, and I just wanted to let everybody know,” Sengun said postgame. “I just wanted to do something different. I’m glad it worked, and everyone came out to play today. Hopefully, everybody’s mindset has changed going into the fifth game. We saw it today, and I’m really happy for that.”
Sengun, 23, spoke very limited English when he joined the Rockets out of the 2021 NBA draft. But in under five years, the Turkish big man learned enough to become a vocal leader inside Houston’s locker room.
“He was just letting us know he didn’t want to go home,” said Amen Thompson, who led Houston with a game-high 23 points and 7 assists (box score). “I was proud of him just taking that leadership role and just pulling us all back in there and being like, ‘This is not how we end it. If we go out, we’re going to go out and fight, but we’re not thinking about going out.’”
For Tari Eason, who enjoyed his best game of the series with 20 points (70.0% FG), 8 rebounds, and 5 steals, Sengun’s message helped the team reset after a brutal Game 3 collapse.
“A lot of people would tuck their tail and think we’re a young team, down 3-0, and we might just give up,” Eason said. “But Alpi made it very clear that we’re resilient. We’ve put ourselves in a very tough position, but we know that if we do the right things and work really hard and stay very, very focused, anything is possible.”
Jabari Smith Jr. pointed to the “belief aspect” and “family” as the most important parts of Sengun’s message, which rallied the team together.
“Just pulling us together and letting us know that whatever happens — win, lose, or draw — these next few games, we're going to go out with fight,” Smith said. “We’re going to go out swinging. We’re going to go out together. We’re going to go out doing the right things that got us here.”
A few years ago, Alperen Sengun didn’t speak any english. On Sunday, he delivered a speech that helped extend the Rockets season.🗣️ “I didn’t give up on the series and I just wanted to let everybody know.” pic.twitter.com/aNxtq4nRT2
— Chancellor Johnson (@ChancellorTV) April 27, 2026
For Sengun, whose consecutive seasons as a Rocket is second most on the team (trailing only Jae’Sean Tate), it’s all part of an increasing leadership presence.
“I take it as this is my team, so I need to take care of everybody,” Şengün said. “I’m ready for anything, and I know they’re ready for it, too. I will do anything for them, and they will do anything for me. So at the end of the day, when I know this, I will do anything. Talk, fight. Do something and show them.”
With the Rockets still trailing the series, 3-1, and facing potential elimination for a second time, Game 5 tips off Wednesday at 9:00 p.m. Central. The game will be televised and streamed to a national audience via ESPN.
Given that Durant’s status remains in doubt as the series shifts back to Los Angeles, another big game from Sengun — and perhaps another inspiring speech — could certainly go a long way toward helping Houston’s chances.
Among players who have played in all games, Sengun leads the Rockets in per-game scoring (22.8 points) and rebounding (10.3) during the 2026 playoffs.
More: Staying alive: Amen Thompson steps up in Game 4 as Rockets rout Lakers
This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: In Game 4 win, Rockets inspired by Alperen Sengun’s pregame message