Jalen Green prioritizing Rockets above battle with Cade Cunningham

“I know it’s probably a big deal, but I am just looking at it as another game,” Jalen Green says of his showdown with Cade Cunningham.

One thing I have noticed about rookie guard Jalen Green is he never gets caught up in the moment. That could be the temperament of his head coach, Stephen Silas, rubbing off on him, or it could just be his demeanor and how he approaches the game of basketball.

Either way, it seems to balance the rising star who garners attention wherever he is and the raw natural talent he displays on the court.

On Wednesday, the bright lights and cameras will be on Toyota Center in downtown Houston as the Detroit Pistons come into town to take on the Rockets. The burning question is why two teams with a combined 2-17 record will be on national television during prime time? Remove the records, and you know exactly why.

The Detroit Pistons selected Cade Cunningham with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft. Going No. 2 in that same first round to the Houston Rockets was Jalen Green. Are you starting to get the picture of why this game will be on ESPN and broadcast worldwide?

With all the hoopla surrounding the game that features two young superstars primed to take the NBA to another level in the future, Green sees it as another opportunity for him and his teammates to get better.

“I know it’s probably a big deal, but I am just looking at it as another game,” Green said after Tuesday’s practice. “It’s always fun to have the bright lights on. That’s when the realness comes out. But it’s just another game, trying to prove ourselves as a team and try to figure things out.”

Green, who is 19 years old, has shown flashes of his potential this season. He had a 30-point game in a loss to the Boston Celtics last month when he went 8-for-10 on 3-pointers. In consecutive games last week versus the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns, Green averaged 20 points.

Getting a win versus the Pistons on Wednesday is more valuable than a one-on-one battle with Cunningham, since Green’s team is in the midst of an eight-game losing streak. A bright spot for Houston is the team finally putting things together under the planning and guidance of Silas.

“Experience is the best teacher,” said Green. “We are a new group. We are young and trying to figure things out. We have to put it all together on the court and see what works and what doesn’t.”

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