The Houston Rockets have learned to celebrate victories within the game during the 2021-22 NBA season. With a 15-46 record and a current 10-game losing streak, head coach Stephen Silas takes advantage of teaching his young core ways to be more effective during each game.
In Tuesday night’s loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, coach Silas decided to let his superstar rookie, Jalen Green, play the last seven-plus minutes of the fourth quarter, even though the Rockets were down by 16 points and with a game coming up against visiting Utah on Wednesday.
“He’s going to be very good,” Silas said postgame. “He struggled there for a minute, so it was good for him to come back.”
Green, 20, was inefficient on offense for the first three quarters of the game, hitting only 4-of-12 shots (33.3%). The Clippers were executing the game plan they had devised from the previous two games by keeping him out of the paint and forcing him to take long 3-point shots.
Rookie Jalen Green talks about working more on his mid-range game. #Rockets #LightTheFuse #JalenGreen #Sarge pic.twitter.com/gxzbR5FA3j
— #SARGE (@BigSargeSportz) March 2, 2022
That strategy worked well until Green checked back into the game midway through the fourth quarter. After a discussion with his coaches, Green used his remaining time to find more effective ways to combat the Clippers’ strategy and used the mid-range shot to his advantage. He finished the quarter with 12 points, shooting 5-of-9 (55.6%).
“I need to start getting more comfortable (with mid-range),” Green said. “I’m working on that right now, still trying to get it down. The Clippers played me the whole time trying to get me to that in-between game.”
“I got to know when to take those shots,” he added. “I don’t really take a lot of mid-range shots. Once I get the in-between game, I think it will take my game to a whole other level.”
Silas agrees with his rookie when it comes to elevating his game:
We talk about a lot as far as taking what the defense gives us. The mid-range was there a little bit more tonight than usual. I talk to him about giving it up and getting it back. He did some of that tonight, as well. He’s learning. He’s definitely learning.
Houston plays its final game of a three-game homestand tonight against the Jazz (38-22), who are seeded No. 4 in the Western Conference.
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