For the first time since James Harden left the team, the Houston Rockets are heading for the NBA Playoffs. Not only did the up-and-coming young squad clinch their first postseason berth since 2019-20, but the Rockets also managed to secure home court advantage throughout the first two rounds as the two seed. This is in no small part to their young core of Alperun Şengün, Amen Thompson, and the much maligned Jalen Green.
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Houston boasts a balanced core of electric offensive talents and standout defenders, but it is Green’s performance that could be the deciding factor as to whether the Rockets can handle the veteran-laden Golden State Warriors. The fourth-year guard even shared his intention to channel his inner Michael Jordan moving forward, a tall task to be sure.
While the Rockets can claim a top five defense in the league, it is their problematic 12th ranked offense that worries people. In the playoffs, it becomes harder to score consistently as teams key into each other’s strengths. If the franchise hopes to avoid a disappointing return to the postseason, Green will have to be at his best on the offensive end.
The Houston Chronicle detailed Green’s plans for the upcoming postseason, sharing that he spent time studying some all-time greats in preparation for his playoff debut. He’ll be facing off against a long time rival of Houston and all-time great in his own regard in Stephen Curry, after all.
“Green is focused on unlocking the best version of himself for the upcoming postseason. He said he recently sat down and watched film of players who find another gear in the playoffs: LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Paul George, and Kawhi Leonard,” Danielle Lerner of the Chronicle wrote.
But rather than attempt to emulate those players, many of whom are still in the league, the 23-year-old set his sights on two other basketball icons he hopes to mirror. “But the players he most wants to emulate are Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, two all-time greats known not just for their skill but for their relentless competition mentality,” Lerner shared.
It’s an extremely tall order as Jalen Green has struggled to reach a consistent quality of play, let alone one of a top 10 player in the history of basketball. Nonetheless, we’ve seen young players reach new heights when exposed to the playoff atmosphere. Green would certainly not be the first.
The Rockets and Warriors are poised to engage in arguably the most competitive first round series of the postseason. Houston lacks the star power than the Dubs do, but their defensive prowess and well-rounded roster gives them a solid chance against a Warriors core hoping to prove that their core is not done yet, despite their advanced age.
Jalen Green shared what happened when he met MJ
Jalen Green is trying to emulate former basketball legends by watching their game film, but that doesn’t mean he never saw their skills firsthand. The star guard shared that he once attended Michael Jordan’s camp in San Diego as a youngster
“I’m walking to practice from the dorm. I got high socks on up to my knees, baggy shorts on, my swag was terrible. I got Adidas slides on,” Green began on Podcast P with Paul George. “And [Jordan] just walk over to me and was like, ‘You need to take them weak a** Adidas slides off’… He like, ‘You need to get some Jordan slides.'”
Jordan came through with the slides for young Green, who is still surprised to this day how aggressive the Bulls legend was with him as a small child. His Airness proved that he’s protective of his brand, no matter who he’s around.
