How Jalen Green has revived Ime Udoka & Houston Rockets season

Jalen Green is receiving Player of the Month consideration for spearheading the Houston Rockets’ NBA-best nine-game winning streak and putting head coach Ime Udoka’s coaching chops back into attention.

Coach Udoka reached his boiling point after the Rockets’ 121-113 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on February 14. He explored shaking up the lineup to see what could remedy their losing ways.

Udoka wasn’t in danger of losing his job as the Rockets didn’t carry championship expectations heading into the season. But questions did arise as to whether the Rockets were making good on their three-year rebuild.

On February 28, the team fell nine games under .500 and in danger of falling out of the postseason picture entirely. Then Jalen Green happened.

Green exploded for 34 points against the Phoenix Suns the next day and has not looked back since. Thanks to him, the Rockets secured big wins over contenders like the Suns, Sacramento Kings and Cleveland Cavaliers in the midst of their streak.

The third-year guard is putting up MVP-like numbers of 28.2 points, almost 10 points more than his season average, along with 5.7 rebounds per contest in that stretch. He is also connecting on an impressive 48.2 percent of his looks from the field and 40.9 percent from the three-point line.

Many in the NBA world came down hard on the G League Ignite product for not living up to expectations as a No. 2 overall selection. He’s proven his critics wrong while garnering comparisons to MVP candidates in the process.

The 22-year-old’s talent has never been doubted. Green’s game has just taken some time to mature. What was once raw athleticism and range has blossomed into a developed offensive arsenal.

The Rockets now have new life and look like team that entered the season with elevated expectations.

Udoka’s affair with a colleague that led to his departure from the Celtics is almost an afterthought now. The Rockets’ nine-game streak is reminiscent of the Celtics’ 17-5 record after the All-Star break in 2021-22. Udoka wound up leading them to a Finals berth that year.

As a unit, Houston is experiencing their best regular season run since the 2020-21 campaign.

Alperen Sengun’s likely return before the regular season ends has analysts and Rockets fans fantasizing over the winning impact he and Green can have inside their final 11 games of the year. Udoka can position his budding star to lead a final surge and bump the Golden State Warriors out of the tenth and final Play-In Tournament spot.

If you click on a product link on this page we may earn a small affiliate commission.