Recently on the NBA court, the Rockets have been in a strong momentum, making steady progress. After a strong victory over the Nuggets away from home, they firmly occupy the second place in the West, opening up a significant gap with the Grizzlies behind them. The Rockets have transformed from a dark horse that people thought might "drop the chain" at any time to a strong team recognized by everyone today. The key to this transformation lies in the transformation of a core player. Yes, it is Jalen Green. He proved himself with his strength, making the decision of the Rockets management at that time seem wise.
The Rockets used to win games all the time, but people always felt something was missing. Everyone thought that apart from a good supporting lineup, the core players' abilities were not enough, and their performance was unstable. However, Jalen Green's rise has completely changed this situation. Take the game at the Denver highland home court as an example. Green was simply amazing. He played for less than 30 minutes, made 10 out of 16 shots, scored 34 points plus 5 assists, made 6 out of 10 three-pointers, and made 8 out of 8 free throws. This efficiency is simply amazing. Moreover, now, such performances have become commonplace for him because in the last 7 games, he scored more than 20 points in each game, and in the last 6 games, he scored more than 25 points in each game, including 3 games with more than 30 points and 1 game with 40 points.
What's even more impressive is that the opponents the Rockets faced in these games were not pushovers. Apart from the Wizards being slightly weaker, the other six opponents, Mavericks, Celtics, Lakers, Grizzlies, Grizzlies, and Nuggets, were all playoff-level teams, with four of them facing the top 4 teams in both the East and West. Green still managed to perform so outstandingly against such formidable opponents that the voices that once questioned him are gradually losing their confidence.
Everyone still remembers that the Rockets offered Green a 3-year, 105 million contract. Honestly, when signing this contract, the Rockets management was actually prepared to trade Green. Compared to Shen Jing's 5-year, 185 million contract, Green's contract term is short, and in the eyes of the Rockets management, it seems that they didn't view him as firmly as Shen Jing as the future core of the team.
This contract also had a ridiculous clause that Green could be traded away this season. You should know that he was still in the final year of his rookie contract at that time, earning 12.48 million a year. The Rockets gave him a new contract but left this option open, showing that they were unsure about Green's future at that time.
But Green is Green. He was not affected by these uncertain factors but instead slapped the doubters in the face with his strength. His growth is not only reflected in the improvement of data but also in the leadership qualities he displayed in the game. Facing strong opponents, he dares to shoot and can stabilize the situation at critical moments, leading the team to victory.
Once upon a time, when stars like Butler and Fox appeared on the trading market, Rocket fans were thrilled, especially for Fox, many people hoped that the "little fox" would return to his hometown team and become the core backcourt of Husheng. But with Green's explosion, the Rockets' record remained stable, and such voices became fewer and fewer. Green worked hard and achieved a qualitative leap in his fourth season, fulfilling his talent and establishing himself firmly in the Rockets.
Now the Rockets, because of Green's rise, have shown infinite possibilities. He is like a rising star, illuminating the path forward for the Rockets. Under his leadership, the Rockets have the capital to aim for higher honors.
For the Rockets management, Green's transformation is undoubtedly a pleasant surprise. What seemed like a risky decision at first has now yielded huge returns. And for the fans, we are fortunate to witness the growth of a super guard. In the future, let us look forward to Green creating more glory in the Rockets and leading the Rockets to new heights together!