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The Houston Rockets played their biggest game in the 2020’s on Sunday night, hosting a Game 7 against the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the NBA Playoffs at home. But, the Rockets struggled mightily to score, and lost, 121-112.
Who is to blame for the Rockets’ series loss? There are a few players who didn’t play particularly well both on Sunday and during the series. But, none of them stick out as badly as Jalen Green, the team’s leading scorer in the regular season, who had a disastrous series in his playoff debut.
Green, the second-overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, had the best season of his career this year. He averaged just over 21 points a game, slightly below his career high, but his efficiency was up and he was more of a winning basketball player for the Rockets, who earned second seed in the Western Conference after not appearing in the playoffs since 2020. He was expected to help lead the way on offense for the Rockets in these playoffs.
But, heading into Game 7, he had played a disastrous series. Outside of a 38-point performance in Game 2, Jalen Green was dreadful. In the other five games of the series heading into Sunday night, he had scored just 47 points, less than ten points a game.
The Rockets were hoping for a big Game 7 out of Green. But, they didn’t get it. Green was just 3-8 and 0-2 from the floor in 30 minutes on Sunday. The rockets simply needed more out of him and he didn’t provide it. It capped off a terrible series for Jalen Green.
He’s only 23, and it was his first taste of the playoffs. But, it was truly a pitiful showing. If you wanted to argue that he was the Least Valuable Player of the first round of the NBA Playoffs, I wouldn’t argue with him.
People on Twitter took notice of Green’s bad series.
Jalen Green is everything wrong with the sport. Got a big head off being told he was the greatest in high school.
Goes to the league, disappoints and somehow scams something near a max off untapped potential
— D (@Yeaderrr) May 5, 2025
Jalen Green experiment over. Let’s move on.
— Rocketgirl (@00rocketgirl) May 5, 2025
Jalen Green having a series that turns a fanbase against you forever.
— Colb (@___Colb___) May 5, 2025
Jalen Green could be traded this summer. The Rockets are expected to at least inquire about stars like Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo that should be available this summer. Green’s max contract will kick in this offseason, so he’s easy to use to match salaries. This could be the last time we’ve seen him in a Rockets uniform.