Courtesy of a career-high 42 points on strong efficiency by Jalen Green, the NBA’s worst losing streak of the 2022-23 season is over. With Monday’s 119-114 win (box score) against Minnesota, the Houston Rockets ended what had been a 13-game slide.
Green made 15-of-25 shots overall (60%) and 6-of-12 from 3-point range (50%). He even had a key block in the closing two minutes as Houston (11-36) put the game away. Anthony Edwards led the Timberwolves (24-25) with 31 points, but he had 6 turnovers to Green’s 1 — a dramatic turnaround from Saturday’s discrepancy between the same two players and teams in Minneapolis.
For Green, a talented guard prospect drafted second overall in the 2021 first round, it was his second 40-plus point outing in three games. He tied his prior career high with 41 versus Charlotte on Jan. 18.
Alperen Sengun added 21 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists for the Rockets on 8-of-12 shooting (66.7%), while rookie forward Tari Eason stuffed the stat sheet with 11 points, 9 rebounds, 3 steals, 3 assists and 2 blocks in 26 minutes during his second career start.
Kevin Porter Jr. (left foot soreness) and Jabari Smith Jr. (right ankle sprain) each had their multi-game absences continue.
Scroll on for highlights, analysis and postgame interview reaction. Next up for Houston is the midpoint of a three-game homestand on Wednesday versus Washington. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. Central.