Houston Rockets’ Jalen Green: Team X-Factor?

The Houston Rockets have seen a boost from Jalen Green lately and it is resulting in more wins for the team.

In six games in the month of January, Green averaged 30 points per game. game, and the Rockets have won five of those six matchups.

HoopsHype writer Mike Shearer has named Green the team’s X-Factor due to his recent boom.

“This isn’t exactly a hipster pick, but if coach Ime Udoka continues to give Green big minutes, the young guard simply needs to deliver more on offense.” Shearer writes.

“Green has greatly improved his defense year-over-year, a must for any Udoka rotation player, but the shot-making hasn’t materialized. He’s shooting 38 percent on wide-open threes, which is fine (if not great), but he’s shooting also a surprisingly high number of three-pointers that are considered closely contested—almost two per game, and he only makes a quarter of them.”

Green’s stronger production is also a result of him picking up some of the slack left by Jabari Smith Jr., who broke his hand on Jan. 3. If Green can continue to fill the gaps for Smith, he can keep the Rockets on track.

The Rockets return to action tonight when they host three-time league MVP Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets at 8 p.m. CT.

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