Unveiling Rockets' G4 Victory Over Lakers: Sengun's Pre-game Speech Inspires Team, Scoring 30 Points Off Opponent's Mistakes

On April 27 Beijing time, the Rockets defeated the Lakers 115-96, tying the series score to 1-3 and avoiding a sweep. ESPN revealed the key to the Rockets' big win, highlighting Sengun's pre-game speech that boosted the team's morale.

The report stated that after the morning shooting practice, Sengun gathered the team and reminded everyone that the Rockets still have abundant talent and strength.“I never gave up on this series, I just wanted everyone to be clear about that.” Sengun contributed 19 points and 6 rebounds in this game, and all five Rockets starters scored double figures. They will face the Lakers again on Thursday away. “I'm glad these words worked, everyone gave their all tonight. Hopefully, the team's mindset can be refreshed before Game Five.”

Rockets guard Amen Thompson said Sengun's speech reignited the team's belief in turning the series around.In the previous Game 3, the Rockets suffered a painful overtime loss, holding a 6-point lead in the last 30 seconds of regulation but being reversed by the Lakers.

Thompson shot 10 out of 16 in Game 4, scoring a team-high 23 points. He said: “Sengun clearly told everyone he wasn't willing to exit like this. I admire him taking up the leadership responsibility and rallying everyone again. He told us we can't just end the season like this. Even if destined to lose, we must fight to the end, never surrender willingly.”

When this Turkish interior player first entered the league, he needed translation assistance for speeches. After years of practice, his English improved significantly, enabling him to deliver a mobilization speech calmly at such a critical moment.

Team's main guard VanVleet and center Adams are out for the season, star forward Durant also missed two consecutive games due to ankle injury. Sengun admitted that now this team should be carried by himself: “Me and Tate are the only remaining veterans from the team's rebuilding period.This team now is my team, I must protect every teammate.I am willing to give everything for the team, and I know my teammates are the same. Standing together united, I will give my all, inspiring with words, fighting hard, proving myself with actions. I'm glad everyone understood my heart.”

Sengun continued: “After today's speech, Amen said he was deeply inspired. I even joked and asked him if my English was okay, if there were any improper expressions. He said: ‘No problem, I fully understood your meaning.’ I'm really comforted to be understood by teammates.”

Rockets coach Udoka immediately played the video of mistakes from the final moments after the third game loss, making players face the problems and shortcomings directly, to quickly overcome the shadow of defeat. But for a young team suffering such a collapse loss, letting go is not easy.

In the past 48 hours, outsiders repeatedly reviewed their mistakes, everyone imagined: if they had held home advantage and not fallen into a 0-3 desperate situation, the outcome would have been completely different.

Amen said: “I'm proud of my teammates. Trapped in a desperate situation, fighting with backs against the wall, we withstand pressure and showed tough performance. We inherently have this capability. Tonight the team had hot shooting hands, this is also the first time in this series we consistently hit shots and efficiently scored off opponent's mistakes.”

This is the Rockets' first single-game scoring 30 points off opponent's mistakes since the 2013 first-round Game 4 against the Thunder, after many years.The Lakers had 24 turnovers in the game, the Rockets converted them into 30 points; 17 turnovers directly came from Rockets steals. Eason led the team with 5 steals, Jabari-Smith, Shepherd, and Okogie each contributed 3 steals.

Data also shows, since the league started recording steals in the 1973-74 season, Eason became the first Rockets player in playoff history to score 20+ points, 5+ steals, with shooting percentage ≥70%; he is also the first Rockets player since Harden in 2016 to total 9 steals over two games.