As the 2023-24 NBA All-Star break approaches, Rockets head coach Ime Udoka has left his team and fans behind. with something to consider. He had just watched his team struggle against a depleted Grizzlies team (missing four starters) to secure what was Houston’s fifth loss in six games, including a four-game losing streak.
“Maybe I need to look at the rotation and the lineup I have at the start and try to get five competitors in at the same time to avoid bad starts,” Udoka said after that loss in Memphis.
After thinking about his statement, Udoka decided to maintain his starting rotation. and I don’t make any changes. However, the message was strong and resonated throughout the Rockets locker room.
Although he never mentioned names, his starting backcourt of Fred VanVleet and Jalen Green sifted through the rhetoric, and they knew some of Udoka’s comments were directed at them. They both knew they had to reassure their head coach that they could get the job done if they were given the opportunity to continue playing together.
Since the All-Star break, this duo has become one of the hottest backcourts in the NBA, which has helped the Rockets get back into contention for a potential Western Conference tournament berth. As of Monday, the Rockets (32-35) are 7-1 in March, and their current five-game winning streak is tied with Udoka’s former team (the Boston Celtics) for the longest active streak of the league.
“The better he plays, the easier it is for everyone,” Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet said of teammate Jalen Green. “He played hard.” #Rockets #Serge @TheRocketsWire pic.twitter.com/50aN41zFwh
– #SARGE (@BigSargeSportz) March 17, 2024
During his resurgence in March, VanVleet averaged 20.1 points and 10.0 assists per game. He has four double-doubles in the last eight games and is keeping Houston in games by not giving up possessions, averaging just 2.0 turnovers during that stretch.
“With the spacing and just trying to get the ball to the point guards and letting guys make plays,” VanVleet said when asked if he controlled the game from the point guard position. “It’s my job to put guys in the right spot and get them the ball.”
VanVleet’s teammate Jalen Green has been in the right position over the last 10 games with Houston going 7-3. The third-year prospect has become more effective on both ends of the floor, and it’s something he struggled with earlier in the season, which often led to reduced playing time.
During Houston’s current five-game winning streak, Green is averaging 25.0 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game, shooting 49.5 percent from the floor and 41.0 % at 3 points.
“That’s all him,” VanVleet said of Green. ” He rolls. I have to give him all the credit. He has that style, that confidence, making shots at a high level. His threes are getting better. But he has been playing good ball for a while now, on both ends of the pitch. He keeps. He is proud to bounce back. The better he plays, the easier it is for everyone. He played hard. »
This improvement out of the backcourt is vital for a Houston team that suddenly finds itself without rising star Alperen Sengun at center, and that seems likely to remain the case. for the rest of this season. The Rockets are currently 3-0 since Sengun’s injury on March 10.
VanVleet, Green and the rest of the Rockets will look to keep that momentum going when they visit Washington (11-57) on Tuesday, with tipoff at 6 p.m. Central. Houston enters the week 3.5 games out of last place in the West in the play-in tournament.
