In a recently concluded NBA regular season game, Houston Rockets' star center and All-Star Alperen Şengün was forced to leave the game early due to a sprained right ankle.

The Rockets ultimately lost to the Dallas Mavericks 104-110, and the health of the 23-year-old center became the focus of attention throughout the city.

At the start of the game, Shen Jing landed awkwardly during a scramble for a defensive rebound, stepping on the foot of the opposing center, Daniel Gafford, resulting in a severe lateral sprain of his right ankle. Shen Jing immediately fell to the ground, clutching his ankle in pain, and was subsequently helped off the court by staff.

The Rockets officially confirmed at halftime that Shen Jing would not return to the game. Head coach Im Udoka is currently cautious about further updates on the injury, and the exact duration of his absence will depend on the final results of the MRI scan.

Shen Jing's injury is undoubtedly a heavy blow to the Rockets. As a 2025 All-Star, Shen Jing is having a career-best season, averaging 22.6 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game, making him the team's second-leading scorer.

Shen Jing's current health condition is directly related to whether the Rockets can maintain their ranking in the highly competitive Western Conference. In the coming weeks, the Rockets will enter an extremely difficult "survival mode," requiring not only role players to step up and fill the 20-point scoring gap per game, but also to rebuild their half-court offensive logic after losing their playmaking anchor.