Alperen Sengun scores 39 to help Rockets overcome Kevin Durant's absence and beat Pacers 118-114

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Alperen Sengun matched his season high with 39 points, and Jabari Smith Jr. added 19 to help the short-handed Houston Rockets overcome the absence of All-Star forward Kevin Durant to beat the Indiana Pacers 118-114 on Monday.

Durant sat out, coach Ime Udoka said, after spraining his left ankle when he stepped on a fan's foot. The Rockets already were missing center Steven Adams, who is expected to miss the rest of this season following surgery on his injured left ankle, so Sengun did the heavy lifting.

He made 13 of 25 from the field and 13 of 18 from the free-throw line including 8 of 12 during the fourth quarter and grabbed 16 rebounds. Houston won its third straight, got its fifth victory in six games and captured its third straight on the road.

All-Star forward Pascal Siakam finished with 27 points and Bennedict Mathurin added 25 to lead the Pacers, who charged back from a 12-point deficit in the third quarter to take the lead. But they didn't have quite enough to extend their winning streak to a season-best three straight.

Initially, the healthier Pacers took advantage of Houston's missing pieces.

They controlled most of the first half before allowing Houston to charge back with a 17-4 spurt late. And when replay review waved off what appeared to be Siakam's buzzer-beating 3-pointer, Indiana was staring at a 63-56 halftime deficit.

Houston continued pulling away early in the second half, using a 12-5 run to build a 75-63 lead. Indiana answered with nine straight points then retook the lead, 81-79, lead on a nifty pass from Jarace Walker to Siakam on a fast break with 2:27 left in the third quarter.

It remained essentially a one or two possession game until Sengun's free throws fueled Houston's late 12-2 run to make it 109-101 with 4:59 to go.

Rockets: Head home to host Boston on Wednesday night.

Pacers: Welcome Utah to Indianapolis on Tuesday night.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Indiana Pacers guard/forward Aaron Nesmith (23) shoots over Houston Rockets forward Jae'sean Tate (8) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Indianapolis, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) drives on Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason (17) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Indianapolis, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Indiana Pacers guard/forward Aaron Nesmith (23) drives on Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. (10) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Indianapolis, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Indiana Pacers guard Johnny Furphy (12) blocks the shot of Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Indianapolis, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

SEATTLE (AP) — All Vinnie Pasquantino needed was a few days of rest, a morning walk around Seattle and a warm, sunny day at T-Mobile Park to get back on track for the Kansas City Royals.

Pasquantino had two hits — including a solo homer — two RBIs and two runs in his return to Kansas City’s lineup against the Seattle Mariners after sitting out the previous two games because of lower back tightness. He batted third and played first base in the Royals' 7-6 win.

“I told them yesterday, I want in,” Pasquantino said. “And I’ll let them know if anything changes.”

His single to right field drove in Kansas City’s opening run in the first inning. He then belted his fourth home run of the season in the sixth off Bryan Woo on a 2-0 count, a Statcast-projected 404-foot blast into the second deck in right. It gave the Royals a 5-3 lead before Jac Caglianone followed with a solo home run to right.

Pasquantino said it has been an issue he has dealt with for a while after he was removed in the sixth inning of Tuesday’s game. He also appeared in the ninth inning and hit a game-ending flyout in Thursday’s 6-3 loss to the Athletics.

“We hope that he’s not going to have to deal with it the whole season,” manager Matt Quatraro said before Friday’s game. “But he’ll probably feel it for a handful of days before it resolves.”

But it felt good in Friday’s win.

“We’ll see how it feels in about an hour when all the adrenaline comes down,” Pasquantino said.

Pasquantino, 28, is off to a slow start this season for Kansas City, batting .176 with three doubles, 16 RBIs and 25 strikeouts in 30 games.

Kansas City Royals' Vinnie Pasquantino hits an RBI single to score Maikel Garcia against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, May 1, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)