Jalen Green may have received a three-year, $105 million extension from the Houston Rockets this offseason, but his long-term staying power on the team remains up in the air. Over the past few games, head coach Ime Udoka has opted to bench Green in favor of Amen Thompson amid the fourth-year guard’s struggles in shooting the basketball. But on Wednesday night, Green forced Udoka and the Rockets’ hand by putting up a season-best performance in their 122-115 overtime win over the Philadelphia 76ers.
Green, from the tip-off, looked like a man with a chip on his shoulder. He put up 18 points in the first quarter alone, finishing with 41 points on 12-20 shooting from the field, 4-6 from deep, and 13-14 from the foul line — elite efficiency from the Rockets guard. And this stellar outing may have come as a result of Udoka’s specific instruction for the 22-year-old highflyer.
According to Bradeaux of The Bradeaux and Will Show, Rockets head coach Ime Udoka told Green to be more aggressive in getting to the basket and getting “downhill” so that he “wouldn’t be as reliant on his jumpshot”. Suffice to say, this change worked; Green got to the charity stripe a lot on the night, and it opened up his perimeter game as a result.
Green has had a tendency of settling for difficult shots; while he is capable of making them, he is at his best when he’s putting pressure on opposing defenses by attacking the basket. He has the quick first step and the vertical to be a nuisance around the rim, and whenever he’s being more proactive in getting to the rim, his entire offensive game becomes easier.
With Green being on fire for most of Wednesday night, the Rockets decided that it was Jabari Smith Jr.’s time to ride the pine late in a close game.
Rockets continue rapid ascension
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Not only were the Rockets coming off an overtime win against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday, they also had to travel to Philadelphia for their game against the 76ers less than 24 hours later. This was going to take a physical toll out of anybody, and yet, the Rockets still managed to outlast the 76ers after letting a comfortable lead slip away in the fourth quarter.
It was the Rockets’ fresh legs that led them across the finish line as the victor; in addition to Jalen Green’s stellar night, Amen Thompson and Tari Eason, dubbed the “Terror Twins”, were once again driving forces in the victory — setting the stage for Alperen Sengun to seal the deal after his rough start to the game.
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