Houston Rockets: Has Jalen Green Finally Broken Through?

A number of 2021 draftees have seen breakout seasons. Will we add Jalen Green to that list?
Jan 5, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA;  Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green (4) reacts to his three point basket against the Los Angeles Lakers in the third quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
Jan 5, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green (4) reacts to his three point basket against the Los Angeles Lakers in the third quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images / Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
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Few NBA players are more familiar with both the highs and lows of NBA stardom like Rockets’ guard Jalen Green.

The 2021 draftee has seen stretches of both white-hot scoring, and the exact opposite, always managing to level out somewhere in the ballpark of 20 points on low-40’s shooting.

The potential has always been there, and he’s maintained high points for stretches at a time, but he’s yet to live up to his ceiling and stay pat as a No. 1 scoring option, or efficient No. 2.

Recently, Green has seen another peak. In his last eight games, he’s scored over 25 points per game on 46% shooting overall, managing to hit a blistering 41% of his 9.5 3-pointers per game. He’s also added 3.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.0 steals per game.

In that span, Houston is 5-3, with one and four-point losses to the Heat and Timberwolves.

History would say that Green will likely return to Earth in some way, shape or form. But now in his fourth season, he’s finally seen some real continuity alongside the core of Alperen Sengun, Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks and more, there’s a chance this breakthrough is real.

Other 2021 draftees, such as Cade Cunningham, Franz Wagner, Evan Mobley and several more, have seen breakouts this season. And it’s not inconceivable that Green would still be developing key habits and skills at this point in his career. 

His season stats may not have been wholly affected just yet, but more play like his recent stretch and they’ll certainly start to change for the better.

Green and the Rockets will look to continue their hot streak with another crucial game against the Memphis Grizzlies tonight at 7 p.m. CT.


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Derek Parker
DEREK PARKER

Derek Parker covers the National Basketball Association, and has brought On SI five seasons of coverage across several different teams. He graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma in 2020, and has experience working in print, video and radio.