Jalen Green continued his run of torrid play with a game-high 32 points on Wednesday versus Sacramento, and he set multiple NBA rookie records along the way. It did not, however, lead to a win for the Rockets, who were edged out in Houston by the Kings, 121-118 (box score).
Green, who shot 6-of-14 on 3-pointers (42.9%) in 37 minutes, set a monthly NBA record for treys by a rookie, and he also became the first rookie in NBA history to hit five or more 3-pointers in four straight games. With 32 points, he joined Hall of Famer and former MVP Hakeem Olajuwon as the only Houston rookies to score 30+ in consecutive games.
Green had assistance from backcourt mate Kevin Porter Jr., who recorded the first triple-double of his young NBA career with 30 points (64.7% FG, 40.0% on 3-pointers), 12 rebounds, and 12 assists. However, the short-handed Rockets (20-57) didn’t have much production beyond their dynamic duo, particularly with Alperen Sengun (left leg contusion) sidelined and veterans Christian Wood, Eric Gordon, and Dennis Schroder continuing to rest as the 2021-22 regular season winds down.
The Kings (28-49) were led by their own first-round rookie in Davion Mitchell, who had a team-high 24 points and 8 assists on 11-of-22 shooting (50.0%). The Baylor University product also played strong defense on Porter on the game’s final possession, which ended with a rushed 3-pointer by Josh Christopher that missed badly at the buzzer.
Tonight was ideal:
Jalen Green 32 points, being featured, taking 25 shots and hitting six threes.
KPJ 30 points, 12 rebounds, 12 assists, only 3 turnovers.
Bruno Fernando 17 points, 10 rebounds (what?)
Rockets remain tied for the worst record.
— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) March 31, 2022
By losing, Houston held its position (tied with Detroit and Orlando) at the top of the intense race for positioning in the 2022 NBA draft. With Wood and Sengun out, third-year big man Bruno Fernando took advantage of a rare opportunity and scored a career-high 17 points in 22 minutes on 6-of-8 shooting (75.0%). He also grabbed 10 rebounds.
Scroll on for highlights and postgame reaction.
