Game 7. No second chances. It’s do or die, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. The Houston Rockets, standing tall as the second seed, are hungry for the Western Conference Finals, but they must face the wrath of Jimmy Butler and Stephen Curry—two legends who know how to turn everything upside down when the pressure’s on. The Golden State Warriors, battered and bruised, aren’t ready to bow out just yet. But Alperen Sengun’s words echo like a warning.

Well, the Rockets may be young, but they’re far from clueless. Sure, experience isn’t on their side, but as All-Star big man Sengun made clear at Sunday’s shootaround, there’s no room for defeat. No reason to back down. Houston has everything to gain—and nothing to lose. The fire is real, and they’re ready to burn.

“I don’t think they have beaten us yet, you know,” the 22-year-old Turkish center declared. With a 3-3 tie and the upper hand over Steph Curry and Co., the series now waits for them to conquer. “We beat ourselves, we’re serious; we missed the free throws, easy shots, you know; we were locked in—locked in defensively and offensively. We have all the talent in the world, so there’s no reason for us to lose this game.” 

Alperen Sengun believes the Rockets’ three losses in this series have been their fault. He is averaging 20.8 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 5.3 assists in the Rockets-Warriors series while shooting 46.3% from the field, 28.6% from 3, and 63.9% from the free-throw line. The 22-year-old is in his first postseason series. Meanwhile, Houston is averaging 106.5 points in this series, while Golden State is averaging 104.2. At the same time, Sengun’s open challenge and threat to the Warriors seems palpable.

However, showing the human side of things, Sengun showed his emotions as well, and is trying to channel them correctly on Sunday.

Amid clear warnings for Warriors, Alperen Sengun shares worrying health update

The Houston Rockets center is overwhelmed with his team’s performance and playoff run in a long time. “Of course it feels different,” said Alperen Sengun. Currently, he leads Houston in most major statistical categories for the 2025 playoffs. “It’s win or go home. Everybody has to give everything, and we know that.” However, what he said next could add to the worries of the fans… or maybe not.

“I can’t sleep well, but I don’t feel tired,” Sengun explained. “The anxiety I have is helping me a lot. It shows how much I want it and how much I want to play the game. That’s helped me a lot in the games, how focused I am and how much I want it.” His hunger to enter Round 2 against the Minnesota Timberwolves is loud. At this point, the 22-year-old isn’t even hiding his feelings.

It looks like Alperen Sengun can’t sleep, but he’s wide awake where it matters—on the court. The nerves? Fuel. The pressure? Welcome. As Game 7 looms, his fire burns brighter than ever. He’s not just leading stats—he’s leading hearts. And now, the Warriors must brace for a Rockets team that truly believes.