Chấn thương của Sengun khiến hy vọng Fantasy của Rockets tan vỡ

Houston's Playoff Push, and Your Roster's Pain

Look, the Houston Rockets have been one of the feel-good stories of the NBA season, especially for fantasy managers who drafted Alperen Sengun in the middle rounds. Their 11-game winning streak, snapped by the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday, was a legitimate surprise. They climbed back into the Western Conference play-in picture, currently sitting 11th, just a half-game behind the Warriors for 10th. But let's be real, that push just hit a brick wall, and it's going to sting your fantasy playoffs, too.

Sengun, the big man who was putting up a ridiculous 21.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game over his last 10 before getting hurt, is done for the year with a Grade 3 ankle sprain. That's a huge blow. He was a legitimate top-20 player in category leagues for stretches of the season, a dime-dropping center who could fill up the stat sheet. Now, he's a giant hole on your roster, just when you needed him most.

Who Picks Up the Slack (and Who to Target)

So, what now? Someone's gotta get those minutes and touches. Jabari Smith Jr. is the obvious beneficiary. He was already seeing a bump in usage and production during the streak, averaging 16.3 points and 9.5 rebounds in his last four games. Now, without Sengun, Smith's rebounding numbers should climb even higher. He's a must-start, plain and simple, especially with his three-point potential. He hit four threes against Utah on Friday, showing what he can do.

Here's the thing: Jalen Green's usage is going to skyrocket even further. He's been on an absolute tear, averaging over 28 points in March. But his efficiency can be a rollercoaster, and now he'll have less of Sengun's playmaking creating easy looks. That makes him more volatile in points leagues, though his raw volume will keep him relevant. Real talk, the guy's shooting 47.9% from the field and 40.8% from three since March 1st. He's earned the increased workload.

As for the big man minutes, Landale and Jeff Green are going to split them, but neither offers anything close to Sengun's fantasy upside. Unless you're in a deep, deep league, they're probably waiver wire fodder. The more interesting play might be Amen Thompson. He's raw, but he's got insane athleticism and he's going to get more opportunities to handle the ball and rack up boards and steals. He just dropped 18 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists against the Jazz on Friday. If he gets 30+ minutes consistently, his all-around numbers could make him a sneaky pickup in a pinch, especially for steals and assists.

My bold prediction: Jalen Green finishes the season averaging over 30 points a game in April, but the Rockets miss the play-in by at least two games without Sengun's offensive hub.