Rockets Jalen Green Trying To Find Consistency In Up And Down Sophomore Season
HOUSTON — Houston Rockets second-year guard Jalen Green said he has never had a contusion in his calf.
Green returned from a calf contusion injury that sidelined him for three games against the Oklahoma City Thunder inside the Paycom Center. He was far from spectacular in his return, finishing with 12 points on 4-of-15 shooting.
"This was my first calf injury," Green said. "It just felt super tight. I couldn't walk. I've had hamstring injuries. Knee injuries. But this was different for me."
Green described his leg as shaky, and his ankle felt weak during the first half of Saturday night's contest. But as the game proceeded, he started to feel more like himself.
Green said he feels good ahead of Monday's contest against the Sacramento Kings, but overcoming a calf contusion is just one hurdle.
Consistency has been a major issue for Green during his sophomore season. There have been moments where Green has lived up to expectations as the face of Houston's franchise. And then there are moments where Green appears to be in the dog days of a second-year slump.
He has scored over 40 points in two of his previous six games. In the remaining four, Green has averaged 11.7 points.
Green understands the improvements he must make in his inconsistent play. A portion of his struggles has come due to being at the top of the opposing team's scouting report. And he has put in extra time working alongside the coaching staff to enhance his play.
"It is all about finding my shots in the flow of the offense," Green said. "Slowing down and not taking bad shots. On the defensive side, it is all about being more aggressive.
"With coaches, it's been about figuring out different coverages and how to break them. Every game, there is always different coverages. It's about knowing what to do. Playing smart. And playing the right way."
Green sustained the calf injury the last time he stepped onto the floor of the Toyota Center on Jan. 26. Coach Stephen Silas said Green started moving slow after he took a knee to the calf during the first quarter of the Rockets' 113-95 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
He finished with a season-low six points.
But Green has put on a show in Houston when healthy, averaging 23.1 points on 44.3 percent shooting during home games. In the first two games against the Kings this season, Green has averaged 26.5 points, both games were on the road.
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