"Alperen Sengun's Ceiling is Nikola Jokic's Floor": NBA Fans React as "Baby Jokic" Gets Hammered by his 3x MVP Idol

The highly anticipated clash between Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic and Houston Rockets big man Alperen Sengun happened on Friday. Jokic and Co. were in Houston for a crucial NBA Cup play against the home team. Behind the three-time MVP, who filled up the stat sheet, the Nuggets won 112-109.

Jokic outplayed Sengun, prompting fans to react:

“Sengun ceiling is Jokic floor.”

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One fan said:

Another fan added:

One more fan continued:

Another fan commented:

Nikola Jokic tallied 34 points behind 11-for-20 shooting, including 4-for-8 from behind the arc. He added 10 rebounds, nine assists, two steals and one block in 39 minutes. “The Joker” also made two crucial free throws late to seal the win for the Nuggets.

Meanwhile, Alperen Sengun struggled, finishing with 14 points on 14 shots. He also contributed six assists and five rebounds but had four turnovers. The Rockets were outscored by 16 points in Sengun’s 36 minutes, the worst in the game.

Sengun’s size, versatility and passing skills have earned him comparisons to the Serbian. Over the years, the Turkish All-Star center has caused opponents problems with that rare blend. A few NBA analysts see him eventually having the same impact on the game as Jokic has had.

On Friday, Nikola Jokic showed that while the comparisons might be warranted, he is still levels above Alperen Sengun.

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Nikola Jokic dominated both Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams

Nikola Jokic came alive in the second half, scoring 24 of his 34 points during that stretch. The Serbian particularly showed why he is the favorite to win the MVP when he led the Nuggets’ fourth-quarter rally.

After Amen Thompson hit an 18-footer, which extended Houston’s lead to 92-87 with 8:54 to go, the Nuggets responded with a 20-9 run. Following Thompson’s basket, Jokic drained a mid-range jumper over Steven Adams before feeding Spencer Jones for a 3-pointer.

The Denver Nuggets grabbed the lead when Cameron Johnson hit a 3-pointer off a nifty pass from Nikola Jokic with 5:09 left. When the Houston Rockets inched to within 99-97, Jokic again stepped up with a 17-footer.

Whether it was against Steven Adams or Alperen Sengun, it did not really matter for Jokic. Sengun had six points and two assists, but Jokic still outdueled him.

Jokic’s two free throws with 2.7 seconds remaining gave Denver a 112-109 lead. Sengun missed a desperate heave in the next possession to allow the Nuggets to walk away with an impressive win.

Edited by Michael Macasero