Don’t get your hopes up yet, but Jalen Green looks as if he might be rounding into All-Star form.
I have taken a lot of opposition for my defense of Jalen Green. If I am being honest, most of it deserved. It’s not lost on me the many ways that the first three seasons of his career have been a disappointment. However, much like when my own children disappoint me, I don’t stop loving them and I do not stop believing in them.
My very first TDS piece was a comparison of those first three seasons to that of Kobe Bryant’s, comparing how both fan bases were disappointed in the start to both players careers.
When I told former Rockets program director and current host of the Killer Bs on ESPN 97.5, Joel Blank that I had chosen that as my first article, he quite literally choked on his own spit.
As we sit here four games into the 2024-2025 campaign, I’m not saying I was right, but so far, Jalen isn’t proving me wrong and that should be an encouraging sign to Rockets fans. Has Jalen Green figured things out?
Scoring 28.8 ppg, on 43.2 percent shooting, 41.3 percent from the three-point line and a true-shooting percentage of 58.3, Jalen hasn’t by any means been the model of efficiency, but for him, these numbers are very encouraging. Especially to be putting them up in October.
The best part about Jalen’s play so far this season is that he has played well in the moments that really count. Even in the Rockets losses. He is shooting 48.1 percent from the field in the fourth quarter and averaging a point per minute played with nine points-per-game in the final quarter.
If he can keep this up, which really is the question here, then Jalen Green and the Houston Rockets should be having success in the win-loss column, and he should be finding his name among potential All-Stars this season.
What I’ve been most impressed with is Jalen Green’s effort on defense. It is not yet reflected in his defensive rating, but he is making significant strides in that area, and I expect his defensive rating to go down from the current 112.4 he currently has.
Jalen Green is a +19 on the floor for this Rockets team and his play against the Spurs in consecutive games was crucial to both the near comeback attempt in the first game, and in holding off the Spurs comeback attempt on Monday.
This early optimism may be premature, but we will find out quickly in the Rockets next game versus the Dallas Mavericks on the road on Halloween Thursday. Has Jalen Green tricked us or will he be treating us to an All-Star caliber season? That has yet to be determined, but four games in, and he’s off to a good start. Thanks, Jalen for keeping me somewhat credible for at least another week.