HOUSTON — In his final game of the 2021-22 season, rookie guard Jalen Green showed why there’s clear optimism at Toyota Center surrounding the future of the Rockets.
Just 20 years old, the No. 2 overall draft pick from the 2021 first round finished his rookie year with a career-high 41 points on 14-of-26 shooting (53.8%) and 9-of-11 on free throws (81.8%). The Rockets were tied with Atlanta in the 40 minutes played by Green, and -16 in the other eight minutes during a 130-114 loss (box score) to the Hawks.
With the loss, Houston (20-62) secured the league’s worst record this season and the best possible positioning entering the 2022 NBA draft lottery — which means a guaranteed top-five pick to pair with Green as cornerstones for the future. Another possible cornerstone is Green’s backcourt mate, Kevin Porter Jr., who finished his third NBA season in style with 26 points (6-of-12 on 3-pointers), 8 rebounds, and 6 assists.
The Hawks (43-39) were led in the win by All-Star guard Trae Young, who scored a team-high 28 points (50.0% FG) and 11 assists in his 34 minutes. Atlanta will be the No. 9 seed in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament, needing to win twice to make the playoffs.
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