The Houston Rockets didn't go down without a fight, but they did eventually go down against the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. after Houston won Games 5 and 6 to tie the series at three games each, the Warriors responded with a dominant 103-89 Game 7 win in Houston to close out the series.
The Rockets had one of the best defenses in the league all season long, and that was nearly enough to get them into the second round. However, their offense let them down one too many times in this series, and Jalen Green's struggles are a big reason why.
Green is one of the most talented scorers in Houston and gives the offense the pop that it needs while Ime Udoka rolls out a big group of great defensive players that don't score it all that well around him. However, Green only hit double figures in three games and struggled to find a rhythm in almost every game of the series.
“Besides the (second) home game, s**t,” Green said of his series, per Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle. “Straight s**t. I got to be better. First playoffs is no excuse. Yeah, I’ve got to be better.”
Article Continues BelowGreen went off in Game 2 of the series, helping the Rockets even the series at a game each with a 38-point explosion in front of his home fans. However, in the other six games combined, Green averaged just more than nine points per game on 19-for-59 shooting.
On the other end, Green is the weak spot of the Rockets defense that includes great perimeter defenders such as Amen Thompson, Dillon Brooks, and Fred VanVleet, so the Warriors were happy to go at him whenever they got the chance. When Green isn't making it worth it on the other end, it's hard for him to make his mark on a series.
As a result of this flameout, Green is sure to be included in trade talks for a potential star all offseason long. Whether he is a Rocket next season remains to be seen, but he should have plenty of motivation to improve coming off of a very disappointing playoff debut.