Rockets Jalen Green: 'Gonna Be a Battle' with Hawks' Dejounte Murray & Trae Young
After a high-flying and highlight-filled rookie season, Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green is ready to spearhead the team in what should be an exciting climb out of the Western Conference gutter. This journey begins Wednesday against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena.
It's a matchup Green is clearly looking forward to. Joined by guard Kevin Porter Jr., Houston's talented duo will get a tough season-opening test against Atlanta's All-Star pairing of Trae Young and Dejounte Murray, who formed one of the league's best backcourts when Murray arrived via trade from the San Antonio Spurs over the offseason.
But Green wants his and Porter's names in that conversation as well. Wednesday's bout gives him a chance to prove why.
"I mean, we('re) one of the best backcourts in the league too," Green said of himself and Porter Jr. "So it's gonna be exciting. Dejounte's from Seattle (like) Scoot (Porter Jr.), I know Trae just through Adidas. So it's gonna be a good battle."
Murray, a defensive-minded guard with disruptive length, smooth athleticism, and a polished offensive game, is an interesting foil for Young, who has become one of the league's deadliest shooters off the dribble and from deep beyond the arc.
One glaring similarity between the two guards is their playmaking ability, as both are elite in the pick-and-roll as the primary ball-handler. Last season, Young was third in the NBA in assists per game (9.7) while Murray was right behind him in fourth place (9.2).
Combining the two All-Stars immediately makes the Atlanta duo one of the league's best. Young's 737 total assists led the NBA last season, while Murray dominated in the defensive backcourt with a league-leading 138 steals.
But even as a rookie, Green was posting impressive numbers of his own, averaging the second-most points on the team (17.3) while playing the most minutes per game (31.9). Already comfortable with shouldering the load, there's no telling the heights he can reach this season.
Alongside him, Porter Jr. averaged 15.6 points while leading the team in assists (6.2) and steals (1.1).
"I think it's gonna be 'Who's the best backcourt?' I'm not gonna say who is, but you know, we confident in our skills and the work we put in so it's gonna be fun," Green said."
The Rockets and Hawks tipoff at 6:30 p.m. CT.
You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7
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