The Houston Rockets and the Detroit Pistons will both play their first and only game on ESPN on Wednesday night. This is due to the matchup between rookies Cade Cunningham and Jalen Green, the first and second overall picks in the 2021 NBA Draft, respectively.
When asked about the matchup on Tuesday, Green was pretty candid about how he's approaching the game.
“I know it's probably a big deal, but I'm just thinking of it as another game for us to go in, get better as a team, and try to get a W,” Green told ClutchPoints.
Jalen Green on the ESPN matchup with Cade Cunningham and the Pistons: “I know it’s probably a big deal, but I’m just thinking of it as another game for us to go in, get better as a team, and try to get a W.” pic.twitter.com/oy9SPHcLVX
— Salman Ali (@SalmanAliNBA) November 9, 2021
This is a completely different tone than what Jalen Green took on during the draft process. Green was very open about where he thought he should have gone in the draft and even touched on playing in Detroit as a city specifically.
“I wanted to be the No. 1 pick, but as for the location, I didn't want to be in Detroit,” Green told Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports in August. “I felt a lot more comfortable in Houston. It felt like a real homey environment. With Detroit, it felt like I was just going back to the G League bubble, and I just got out of the bubble. That's pretty much what it was.”
With the Rockets coming off of an eight-game losing streak, it's understandable why he might be a little more subdued, but this game is on national television for a reason.
“It's always fun having the bright lights on,” the Rockets rookie added. “That's when the realness comes out. Like I said, it's just another game for us to try and prove ourselves as a team and try to figure things out together.”
It's probably smart for Green to play this matchup down. Even if Green comes out more motivated for this particular game than other ones this season, admitting that isn't going to play well in the media. His previous comments will still likely get a lot of airtime over the next 24 hours.
“In the G League bubble, I didn't really have anything to do but just stay in the gym,” Green furthered in that August interview. “That's what it felt like in Detroit. There are not many things you can do in Detroit like that. You're going to stay in the gym and then go back to your apartment.”
Still, it should be an exciting matchup for both the Rockets and Pistons.
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