The Houston Rockets have secured their 27th victory of the season, with Jalen Green scoring 34 points to outshine Jamal Murray. White Magic contributed 16 points and played with great enthusiasm, while Shepard went 0-for-3 in his performance.
Prior to this, there were expectations that Ison could secure a $30 million annual salary extension contract from the Rockets based on his previous form. However, his current situation is uncertain. Coach Udoka has been saying that Ison is close to returning, but the tough player has been continuously absent. Udoka mentioned that Ison still has a chance to return during this road trip, but his condition does not seem promising at the moment.
Jalen Green has been in excellent form recently. In an interview, he stated that maintaining his aggressiveness and continuing his current state are crucial, emphasizing the importance of staying engaged with the team. He acknowledged that when his offense is not smooth and shots keep missing, he tends to lose focus and not fully commit to the game. Therefore, he must find ways to stay involved and maintain his participation.
According to statistics from American media, since entering 2025, Jalen Green's number of attempts has increased by 29%, while VanVleet's attempts have decreased by 30%, and Alperen Sengun's attempts have increased by 15%.
Jeff Green returned to his old stomping grounds, having only played 11 games this season, with Udoka giving him opportunities. The Nuggets were playing back-to-back games without Jokic and Gordon, theoretically providing a good opportunity for Alperen Sengun to showcase his skills.
In the end, the Rockets achieved a significant victory over the Nuggets, securing their 27th win of the season. Jalen Green scored 34 points with 5 assists, outperforming Murray who had 22 points and 5 assists, with a negative plus-minus value of -17.
Jalen Green once said in an interview, "You can look at the combination of Jokic and Murray; I'm not saying we should be exactly like them. But everyone says Sengun resembles Jokic, so why can't I be similar to Murray? I'm not saying to become Murray, but to be as effective with or without the ball, forming a duo that poses a threat every night with Sengun."
It must be said that the gap between Sengun and Jokic is quite large, but Jalen Green's talent surpasses Jamal Murray. He has now delivered an All-Star guard performance and is starting to show signs of becoming a cornerstone player.
At the start of the game, VanVleet hit a three-pointer, Green made a jumper and completed a difficult 3+1, forcing the Nuggets to call a timeout. Upon resuming play, Amen scored a layup, Sengun was called for traveling, and was repeatedly blocked under the basket. VanVleet also got blocked on a drive. Sengun missed another layup, but VanVleet hit another three-pointer. Udoka substituted Adams for Sengun, who immediately received a pass from VanVleet and scored a layup. Whitmore came in hot, hitting a three-pointer. Tate also contributed with a steal and a layup. The Rockets' pick-and-roll efficiency was not high, leading by only 5 points.
In the second quarter, VanVleet hit a jump shot, followed by another three-pointer from Whitmore, extending the lead to 10 points. Jeff Green hit a three-pointer, Amen had an alley-oop dunk, and Adams blocked Westbrook. Udoka brought Sengun back in to strengthen the offense, and he scored upon returning. The Nuggets did not give up, with Westbrook contributing an assist and a jump shot, reducing the lead to 8 points. Sengun missed another shot, but fortunately, Whitmore made a flying putback dunk. VanVleet assisted Dillon in hitting a three-pointer, and Amen stole from Westbrook and scored in transition, prompting the Nuggets to call a timeout down by 15 points.
Udoka brought in Jalen Green, who continued to score, pouring salt into the Nuggets' wounds. Green kept going to the free-throw line, hitting threes, and completing a 2+1 against Westbrook, easily reaching 20 points. The Rockets led by 21 points at halftime.
In the third quarter, Green assisted Sengun in making a shot, followed by another three-pointer, increasing the lead to 24 points. Westbrook hit a three-pointer, but it was just a drop in the bucket. Sengun assisted Dillon in hitting another three-pointer. With a big lead, Sengun relaxed, and his shooting touch improved somewhat. Green was on fire, and Sengun passed to him for another three-pointer, forcing the Nuggets' coach to call a timeout. Green performed an explosive dunk on a break, Whitmore scored a layup and a steal, then a fastbreak dunk. Green hit another three-pointer with 28 seconds left in the quarter, bringing his total to 34 points. The game was no longer in doubt, and several key Rockets players were rested early to save energy for the next game.
Sengun nearly achieved a triple-double with 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists, but his shooting efficiency was low (9 of 21), and he was blocked 4 times, showing that he was eager to perform.
VanVleet scored 16 points with 8 assists, finally understanding his role.
White Magic Whitmore scored 16 points with 9 rebounds and 1 steal, shooting 7 of 11, playing with excitement. This young man has both personality and talent.
Amen scored 11 points with 9 rebounds, 4 steals, and 2 blocks, demonstrating solid defense.
Jeff Green, facing his former team, did not hold back, scoring 8 points and grabbing 2 rebounds.
Shepard, who returned from the G League for training, played in the fourth quarter, logging 6 minutes with 0-for-3 shooting, grabbing 1 rebound and dishing out 1 assist, seemingly reverting to his original form.