Rockets’ Alperen Sengun a late scratch vs. Suns due to illness

Rockets All-Star forward Alperen Sengun will not play when Houston hosts the Phoenix Suns on Friday due to an illness, with Steven Adams expected to start in his place.

Devin Booker (groin) will miss his first game of the season after suffering the injury on Monday against the Los Angeles Lakers. Jalen Green (hamstring) will miss his 21st game of the year, while two-way wing Isaiah Livers (hip) is questionable.

Houston will also be without Fred VanVleet (ACL), Tari Eason (oblique) and Dorian Finney-Smith (ankle).

While both teams will be missing key pieces, Houston’s Kevin Durant will play against Phoenix for the first time since being traded away during the offseason.

He missed the teams’ first matchup of the season, a 112-94 Suns loss on Nov. 24, for personal reasons.

Durant’s 25 points per game in 17 contests would be his lowest in a season since his rookie year, and his 49.3% shooting is a low mark since 2010-11. He averaged 26.8 points over 145 games with Phoenix, boasting career-best 42.7% 3-point shooting marks.

Dillon Brooks was part of the trade return for the Suns, along with Green and the No. 10 overall pick with which Phoenix selected center Khaman Maluach. Brooks had 29 points on 11-for-22 shooting in the Nov. 24 loss to his former squad.

“A good fight. We’ll see ’em in December,” Brooks said after the loss. “We got some learning to do.”

Follow along with Suns-Rockets on 98.7 and the Arizona Sports app with tip-off slated for 6 p.m. MST.

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