HOUSTON — One might say that the playoff inexperience bug bit Rockets guard Jalen Green during a 95-85 loss to the Golden State Warriors in Game 1 of their first-round Western Conference playoff series.
Green finished with only 7 points while making just 3-of-15 shots (20.0%), including an 0-for-4 showing from 3-point range. His scoring output was 14 points below his 21 points per game average this season.
Sunday night’s performance only adds to Green’s struggles against the Warriors at Toyota Center this season. In four home games versus Golden State, including the playoffs, Green is averaging 8.8 points per game while shooting 24% (13-for-53) from the field and 17% (3-for-17) from beyond the 3-point arc.
“I’ve got to be better,” Green said postgame. “It is my first (playoff) game. I am not too worried about it. I have a chance to shake back and improve. I got a taste for what it was, and now I just have to answer back.”
“I’ve got to be better,” Green said during his postgame press conference. #Rockets#Sarge@TheRocketsWirepic.twitter.com/JDI6sVjVrz
— BIG SARGE MEDIA LLC (@BigSargeSportz) April 21, 2025
Golden State used many defenses to get the ball out of Green’s hands, including clogging the paint and sending double teams to ensure he would not find an offensive rhythm. Green did not help himself, as he constantly drove into a packed lane full of Warriors defenders.
“They went after him some, but he played in the crowd a little bit too much,” Rockets head coach Ime Udoka said of Green’s offensive struggles. “The shots in the crowd, you have to find your outlet. Against a team that is loading up, he has to find his isolations, whether its at the top or getting to the lane where they are packing the paint. You’ve got to find your outlets. That is going to be key throughout this series.”
Green and the Rockets will try to redeem themselves from the Game 1 loss on Wednesday night. Game 2 of the best-of-seven series tips off at 8:30 p.m. Central.
This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: ‘I’ve got to be better’: Jalen Green reacts to poor playoff debut
HOUSTON — One might say that the playoff inexperience bug bit Rockets guard Jalen Green during a 95-85 loss to the Golden State Warriors in Game 1 of their first-round Western Conference playoff series.
Green finished with only 7 points while making just 3-of-15 shots (20.0%), including an 0-for-4 showing from 3-point range. His scoring output was 14 points below his 21 points per game average this season.
Sunday night’s performance only adds to Green’s struggles against the Warriors at Toyota Center this season. In four home games versus Golden State, including the playoffs, Green is averaging 8.8 points per game while shooting 24% (13-for-53) from the field and 17% (3-for-17) from beyond the 3-point arc.
“I’ve got to be better,” Green said postgame. “It is my first (playoff) game. I am not too worried about it. I have a chance to shake back and improve. I got a taste for what it was, and now I just have to answer back.”
“I’ve got to be better,” Green said during his postgame press conference. #Rockets#Sarge@TheRocketsWirepic.twitter.com/JDI6sVjVrz
— BIG SARGE MEDIA LLC (@BigSargeSportz) April 21, 2025
Golden State used many defenses to get the ball out of Green’s hands, including clogging the paint and sending double teams to ensure he would not find an offensive rhythm. Green did not help himself, as he constantly drove into a packed lane full of Warriors defenders.
“They went after him some, but he played in the crowd a little bit too much,” Rockets head coach Ime Udoka said of Green’s offensive struggles. “The shots in the crowd, you have to find your outlet. Against a team that is loading up, he has to find his isolations, whether its at the top or getting to the lane where they are packing the paint. You’ve got to find your outlets. That is going to be key throughout this series.”
Green and the Rockets will try to redeem themselves from the Game 1 loss on Wednesday night. Game 2 of the best-of-seven series tips off at 8:30 p.m. Central.
This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: ‘I’ve got to be better’: Jalen Green reacts to poor playoff debut
