Rafael Stone believes the Golden State Warriors made Jalen Green their top defensive priority during the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
Speaking to reporters following Houston’s season-ending Game 7 loss, the Rockets general manager defended Green’s postseason effort while acknowledging it was below expectations.
“Jalen didn’t have the series that he wanted to have, or we didn’t,” Stone said, via Adam Spolane.
Green averaged just 13.3 points on 37.2% shooting during the seven-game series, a steep drop from his regular season mark of 21.0 points on 42.3%.
The 23-year-old shot only 29.5% from three and 66.7% from the free throw line, capping off the series with eight points on Sunday in the 103-89 loss to Golden State.
Stone said that while Green’s performance was disappointing, it came under heavy focus from the Warriors’ defensive scheme.
“Their goal going into the series was to take him out,” Stone said, noting Houston’s offense isn’t centered on one player.
He added that the Rockets encourage sharing the load when one scorer is targeted, and that Green played the “sacrificial lamb” role in some games.
Ime Udoka’s squad had moments where they punished that attention, but Stone admitted it wasn’t consistent enough to tilt the series in their favor.
Despite a 52-30 regular season record and Southwest Division title, Houston was eliminated in the opening round after climbing back from a 3–1 deficit.
Green’s 38-point performance in Game 2 was a bright spot, but he failed to replicate that impact across the series.
Stone said one playoff series doesn’t define a player, and emphasized the importance of learning from the experience.
He pointed out that if Houston wanted to take a specific player out of a series, they “can and will,” underscoring how focused defensive efforts impact the outcome.
Golden State’s strategy worked, as Fred VanVleet was the only Rocket to maintain offensive consistency, while Amen Thompson and Alperen Sengun had strong showings in the finale.
