Why Jalen Green, Rockets are thriving without Alperen Sengun

How has this happened? Simply put, the Rockets are playing small and they’re making shots. A shift to smaller, quicker play while emphasizing space creation results in more scoring variety, a challenge Houston had yet to master. The once-perfect tandem between Sengun and Fred VanVleet became increasingly more predictable because of how much head coach Ime Udoka relied on it.

Most of Udoka’s plays involved Sengun in the high pick-and-roll in attempt to give VanVleet space to shoot a fading three, or have Sengun placed inside the paint on the low block. This prevented other scorers from getting into rhythm, such as Green. Now with Sengun out, Houston has more ways to score.

Remember when the Rockets’ main perk was just defense? While still in the top-10 in defensive rating, they used to lack a plan B in cases the opposing team scored more than 120 points. This hill often became treacherous too steep to overcome. Since Sengun’s been out, the Rockets’ sport a 123.5 offensive rating and have played at a 100.44 pace, both top-four marks in the league, per NBA.com/stats.

Jalen Green going takeover mode

Behind this immaculate run of greatness lies Green, and it’s about time. He’s been unstoppable, reminiscent of the old James Harden days between 2012-2015.

Take a look at this stat. After averaging 15.8 points per game last month, Green’s scoring output has nearly doubled to 28.5 points in March. Sure, an increased usage rate accounts for some of that leap, but Green has also managed star-level efficiency of late, shooting 50.4% from the field and 42.9% from deep.

It’s not just the efficient scoring, either. Green’s rebound averages increased and his defense. On the court, he’s been +143 in plus minus over the past eight games.

It’s well known locally that Green’s production increased after the All-Star in his first two season, but not to this level. In the past, the Rockets were still losing, even when Green put up 30+ empty points on run-of-the-mill efficiency.

This time around, it’s different. His team is winning ballgames. He isn’t sporadic on the floor. His movement is with the offense and it seems like he’s getting into his spots without trying. Overall, Green looks like an entirely different player compared to the first 3 and a half months. Additionally, he’s a definitive contender to win the NBA’s Player of the Month in March.

Amen Thompson’s two-way versatility

It’s not just Green who’s benefitted from the Rockets’ change in playstyle. Amen Thompson has replaced Sengun in the starting lineup next to Smith, frequently functioning as Houston’s de facto center offensively in pick-and-rolls and dribble hand-offs. He’s also been a devastating finisher lurking in the dunker spot.

Initially drafted as a point guard, Thompson is capable of defending multiple positions with his sturdy 6’7 frame. Putting another ball handler alongside Green and VanVleet has made Houston much more dangerous offensively, igniting the team’s transition attack.

Thompson averages a double-double as a starter, scoring 14.3 points with 10.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists. He’s been even more productive since Sengun went down.

“[Thompson] in the roll, him in the pocket with his passing ability is an asset to have,” Udoka said. “We’ve mentioned guys like Ben Simmons, guys like Giannis [Antetokounmpo] who have done similar things at times in their career. He can learn to implement those things.”

In the matchup against the Thunder on Wednesday, Thompson scored 25 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, becoming the first Rockets rookie to achieve that feat since Yao Ming.

Could Alperen Sengun return for the play-in?

If the Rockets make the play-in, there is a chance Sengun returns to the court—an extremely encouraging development considering the ugly nature of his injury. What would that mean for Green’s development, though? One thing’s for sure: Green isn’t going to slow down. Before the All-Star break, the 22-year-old struggled to stay consistent on the court while the Turkish phenom had a breakout year.

There’s only been a handful of games this season in which the pair have played well together. Green has shot 32.2% from three playing with Sengun compared to 37.3% without the big man, while his +5.9 net rating sans Sengun is over six points per 100 possessions better than when they share the floor, per pbpstats.com.

Looking in from the outside, it’s easy to figure out why Green plays better with Sengun off the floor. But it’s more complex than that. Houston’s pace actually took a massive increase immediately after the All-Star break, while Sengun was still playing.

“We wanted to really increase the pace and get the threes up and all those things don’t have anything to do with Alpi,” Udoka said this week on SportsTalk 790, per Ben DuBose of Yahoo! Sports. “When Jalen was struggling earlier in the year he had the same quality looks and Jalen started to read the game better. I think they can complement each other very well.”

Green’s outburst may be due to a late-blooming third year leap more than anything related to Sengun. He had been steadily improving as a scorer shortly after the break, prior to the floodgates opening completely. This proves that Houston can play well whenever Sengun comes back.

It’s not like the Rockets’ young tandem can’t complement each other. Sengun is versatile as a scorer and passer for a big, and Green’s ball handling gives him a myriad of ways to create offense, whether for himself or orchestrating the offense alongside VanVleet and Thompson.