The Dallas Mavericks came in victorious in their Friday Texas showdown with the Houston Rockets. With Luka Doncic leading the way with his common brilliance while piling up a tremendous 50-point masterclass, he has nothing but praise from a solid opposition on one end – Jalen Green.
Green, the franchise cornerstone of the Rockets, had a rough shooting night, shooting 6-for-17 and accumulating 35.3 efficiencies. Amid inconsistency, he still went on to chalk 23 markers, eight boards, four assists, and two steals in almost 39 minutes of play on the 112-106 losing effort.
Right at the postgame press room availability, Doncic gave credit when it mattered towards the Rockets’ young nucleus while calling Green a soon-to-be “superstar” – with the sophomore guard continuing to flourish as Houston’s face of their future.
“We’ve played them twice this year. I think they have a really young team, but they have a lot of talent,” Doncic said of the Rockets’ youth program, via Ben DuBose of USA TODAY. “They play with a lot of force, a lot of energy. I think they’ve improved a lot.
“I think Jalen is going to be a superstar in this league. He’s already a star. They have a great guy here, so they should build around him.”
Still young at age 20, Green is already showcasing his major offensive skill set. In his second year in the league, he is already averaging 21.3 points with 40.9 percent efficiency to go with 4.3 boards and 3.6 assists. As such, these numbers can only expand for seasons to come with him having that high ceiling to reach.
The Rockets are still in their early development stage, with growing pains very much expected to appear and linger. But knowing that they have a promising core bannered by Green, the sky is the only limit regarding their future.
