Considering how well the Detroit Pistons were stifling the Houston Rockets’ offense on Monday, the NBA announcing guard Jalen Green as the Western Conference Player of the Week during the game qualified as dubious timing.
Green missed 13 of 21 shots while scoring 19 points and committed five turnovers in the Rockets’ 107-96 loss. Houston had won six of its last seven games with Green’s help entering Monday but dropped the first of back-to-back home contests.
The Rockets will aim to bounce back at home when they welcome the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday.
Green earned his first Player of the Week award since last March after averaging 32.5 points on 60.6 percent shooting while making 25 of 26 free-throw attempts, helping Houston go 3-1 during that span.
He joined current Milwaukee guard Damian Lillard as the only players ever to tally five straight games with 25-plus points and four 3-pointers while shooting at least 50 percent from the floor and from the arc.
The Pistons’ blitzing defense put an end to that run. The Rockets have enjoyed moments of effective ball movement when opponents labor to force Green off the ball, but they created no such success against Detroit. Still, at least for one week, Green showcased his offensive vigor.
“That was part of their scheme was to slow him down due to how he’s been playing and the hot streak he’s been on,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka said. “It’s very similar to what he did last year in March and had good carryover into this season, but (Green has) really been on one.
“You have to expect that. Teams went after him to start the season and did it again (Monday). We have to be strong in the blitz, have to get to our spacing, our outlet has got to be there and then attack from there. We should invite teams to blitz us and have the numbers behind him. We usually pick it apart but didn’t do it (against Detroit).”
Undaunted by the absences of Evan Mobley (calf) and Caris LeVert (wrist), the Cavaliers throttled the Phoenix Suns 118-92 on Monday in their lone home game during a stretch of five road contests.
While depth continues to undergird the Cavaliers, their ability to force turnovers and rack up rebounds proved equally vital against the Suns. Cleveland posted a plus-18 margin in shot attempts in the victory largely by corralling 15 offensive boards and forcing 17 turnovers.
That effectiveness without Mobley, whose 8.8 rebounds per game rank second on the team to Jarrett Allen, was especially noteworthy and reflected a recently embraced point of emphasis.
“We’ve been preaching the possession game lately,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said. “I think that’s another thing that’s going to be a huge playoff factor. With our ability to shoot the ball, if we can get more shots than the other team that’s huge.
“When we play these elite teams, if they get seven more shots than you you’re in trouble. Or nine more shots. We really kind of shifted our mentality with that. We need to keep winning the possession game, keep preaching it.”
Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with 33 points against Phoenix and paces the Cavs with his 23.3 scoring average.
