Even taking into consideration their multiple scoring options, under most scenarios the Houston Rockets would prefer that Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun co-author the offensive attack.
When that tandem, both in their fourth seasons in the league, are clicking simultaneously, Houston tends to reach a level of potency that portends to prolonged success.
During the first two games of an abbreviated three-game road trip, Green and Sengun led the way to wins over the Washington Wizards and Memphis Grizzlies. With their Saturday matchup at the Atlanta Hawks postponed due to a winter storm, the Rockets’ tilt against visiting Memphis on Monday will serve as the back end of a back-to-back.
Green and Sengun combined for 59 points on 23-of-41 shooting from the floor in the Rockets’ 119-115 road victory over Memphis on Thursday, with Sengun tallying 32 points, 14 rebounds and five assists while Green added 27 points, three assists and three steals.
That followed a sparkling performance from the duo in Washington, where Green and Sengun scored 36 of the Rockets’ 40 points in the third quarter of Tuesday’s 135-112 win. Green finished with 29 points and eight rebounds while Sengun totaled 26 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. The duo shot 22 of 45 from the floor.
The Rockets have labored trying to unlock means for Green and Sengun to not only coexist but to thrive in a coordinated effort. The results on the road last week offer a measure of promise.
“It’s a thing where you don’t want it to be your turn, my turn,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka said. “It just kind of flows naturally. Jalen is obviously a really good scorer and Alperen is in his own way as well. We like to involve those guys in actions together and not just one goes to work while the other is watching and vice versa.
“They’ve both done a much better job of recognizing defenses and going after them — whether it’s in the pick-and-roll or in the post — and creating for their teammates. They’re starting together and they’ve played together quite a bit, so we need them both firing at all cylinders.”
A second shot at the Grizzlies in five days should present another opportunity for Green and Sengun to prove that their ability to both thrive offensively in the same game is sustainable.
“We understand how much better of a team we are when they’re doing that,” Udoka said. “They’re finding their way as individuals but in the team aspect they’re working well together as well.”
The Grizzlies followed their loss to Houston with a white-knuckle 127-125 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday that kicked off a four-game road trip. Jaren Jackson Jr. continued his torrid play by posting 33 points and eight rebounds, boosting his averages to 26.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists over his last 10 games.
Yet when the game hit crunch time, the Grizzlies turned to Ja Morant, and he bailed them out with a pair of critical late baskets to reverse the tide from a subpar game by his standards: 12 points on 5-of-19 shooting plus four assists and five turnovers. No matter the opponent or the circumstances, Morant has proven repeatedly his ability to deliver when the game is on the line.
“We know he’s built for those moments,” Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said of Morant. “You’ve got the utmost faith in that kid taking over a game at the end.”
–Field Level Media
