"Rockets will forever be our sons": Warriors fans brutally slam Alperen Sengun and Co. for claiming rivalry spot with Golden State 

Alperen Sengun and his Houston Rockets teammates recently talked about their rivalry with the Golden State Warriors. But fans of the San Francisco-based team quickly took to social media to mock the narrative, pointing out how one-sided the matchups have been in recent years.

Sengun was joined by Tari Eason, Amen Thompson, and Jabari Smith Jr. in discussing the matchup with their Western Conference competitors.

“Rockets vs Warriors has been a rivalry even before I stepped into the NBA,” Eason said. “Yeah, it's always been like that when James (Harden) was here too,” Alperen Sengun said. “That's a competition good for us. You love to play it. We always get more motivated when we play against them. So, it's going to keep going like that.”

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“I feel like it is. It's not often teams just keep clashing in the playoffs. Right now it's two teams that are trying to win a championship. So, I mean, yeah, I call it a rivalry,” Jabari Smith Jr. said. “Throughout history it's been,” Thompson said. “Throughout the 2010s to last year it's been. And I know in season it's going to be a good game.”

Not long after the clip went viral, Warriors fans flooded social media with reactions, trolling the Rockets for calling it a rivalry.

“LOL Rivalry? Can’t be a rivalry if one team wins every time,” @warriorsworld said. “Rockets will forever be our sons,” another Warriors fan wrote. “What rivalry? 😭😭😭it’s not a rivalry If we keep beating them and owning them @HoustonRockets,” @NoelJimenez2023 wrote. “Lmao we don’t even think about them 😭😂,” @T_Wall10 said. “No rivalry to be had with the Rockets; they're not cut from that cloth,” @ctrainstation said. “Warriors been whoopin that ass for 10 years now,” @cloudyderbs said.

Historically, the Houston Rockets actually hold a winning record against the Warriors, with 138 wins in 268 games. But since the Warriors’ championship era began in the 2013–2014 season, things have been different.

Golden State has won 31 of 42 regular-season matchups and defeated the Rockets in all five of their playoff series, boasting a 20-10 postseason record during that stretch.

In the upcoming 2025–26 season, Alperen Sengun and co. will face the Warriors three times, with two games at the Chase Center and one at home on March 5 at the Toyota Center.

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Alperen Sengun had already proven himself as an All-Star last season, but this year he took things even further by leading Turkey to the 2025 EuroBasket finals. His impressive improvements have led Carmelo Anthony to believe that Sengun could be a serious contender for the 2026 Michael Jordan Trophy.

The Hall of Famer explained how Sengun and Kevin Durant would co-exist and thrive.

“He (Sengun) can be MVP,” Anthony said. “Durant has never played alongside a big who can pass like that. You can run your whole offense through him. Give him the ball, set a pick-and-roll, and force defenses to decide where to help. That’s what makes him special.”

Even with Fred VanVleet sidelined due to injury, the Houston Rockets remain a strong team. With Durant and Alperen Sengun leading the way, and key support from Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., and other capable rotational players, the roster has the depth and talent to make a serious championship run.

Edited by Advait Jajodia