Who Steps Up for the Rockets in Game 6?

The Houston Rockets dominated the Golden State Warriors on the way to a Game 5 victory at home. They got strong scoring performances from Amen Thompson, Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks as they led the team to a blowout victory. The only way the Rockets can force a Game 7 in Houston is to find another high-scoring performance from one of their top players. Houston needs at least one of its young players to step up offensively to give the Rockets a chance to play one more time at home.

Thompson played the leading role offensively in Game 5. He was assertive driving to the basket and had much better touch on some of the shots from further away. It was a stark difference from his previous games, where he looked much more timid and overwhelmed on offense.

Thompson led on offense and defense, having his best defensive game of the series. His play on the perimeter created turnovers and easy points in transition. Game 5 featured his best performance against Stephen Curry, who had given Thompson trouble throughout the series. Thompson's impact was a driving factor behind the Rockets' victory, and he will need to have a similar performance for the Rockets to force another game.

With the way Alperen Sengun has played in this series, Thompson likely won't be the only young player to help lead the team.

Sengun has been the most consistent player in the series. He is the only player who can score consistently in isolation, and he anchored the defense with great effort and quick feet. A missed shot late in Game 4 could have tied the series for the Rockets, but he has been playing with great confidence in his scoring and passing. Sengun has proven that he can thrive in the postseason, even against an opponent constructed to have a natural advantage against his player archetype.

Jalen Green still hasn't shown that he can thrive in the postseason as he continues to struggle against the Warriors.

Following his 38-point explosion in Game 2, Green hasn't contributed much to Houston's efforts. He disappeared in Game 3, scoring nine points on 11 shots. He took even fewer shot attempts in Game 4 and played only 25 minutes.

Game 5 began with some promise before a collision slowed Green down throughout the rest of the game. Before bumping his knee, Green looked much more confident with his ball handling, shooting, and passing before getting hurt. He also pulled down rebounds at a high rate, finishing with eight.

The issue is, Green has had more games looking frazzled than looking as confident as he did in Games 2 and 5. If the Rockets get the version of Green who can dissect the Warriors' defense and get to the paint at will, Houston will have a great chance at forcing a Game 7.

If Houston gets the version of Green that has historically struggled against the Warriors, vets like VanVleet and Brooks must step up to prevent an early exit in this year's postseason.