As expected, the 2021-22 NBA season was another losing one for the young and rebuilding Houston Rockets. But in contrast to 2020-21, there was more for fans to be excited about — starting with jaw-dropping plays by first-round rookies like Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun.
Green finished fourth in the NBA’s 2021-22 Rookie of the Year voting and was Western Conference Rookie of the Month for March/April games, which included a historic rookie streak of five straight 30+ point games.
It was also a year of growth for third-year guard Kevin Porter Jr., who took the reins as a full-time NBA point guard for the first time. Porter finished the season with a flourish, but his defining moment is likely the buzzer-beater he hit in Washington right after his January suspension.
Veteran Rockets often seemed to feed off the youthful energy, as shown by Christian Wood’s second-half takeover in a March win versus the Wizards and Eric Gordon spinning LeBron James in a circle earlier that month. Houston ultimately defeated the Lakers in that game, as well.
Here’s a look at the 2021-22 season’s top-five plays by Green, Sengun, Porter, Wood, and Gordon, as selected by the Rockets.