The 2023-24 NBA season was a mixed bag for Jalen Green, who went through substantial ups and downs during his third season with the Houston Rockets. But Green finished with a flourish and nearly earned March Player of the Month honors, and those performances played a key role in Houston’s outstanding 13-2 month — which helped the Rockets (41-41) finish at .500 for the year as a whole.
After going 22-60 last season, Green and the Rockets had the biggest single-year wins increase of any NBA team this season, and it’s the second-largest annual increase in franchise history.
Ideally, of course, Green’s strong play in March would have come earlier. “Do it earlier, and we’re playing right now,” head coach Ime Udoka said with a smile at Tuesday’s season-ending press conference. Udoka was referring to a potential berth in the ongoing 2024 NBA playoffs, which Houston could have had with a few more wins.
Udoka then continued his comments:
Everybody learns and adapts to things on their own speed. He was a guy I probably pushed harder than most to improve all around and not just be labeled on one side of the court, or as a scorer only. Some things he’s done his whole life were being challenged.
For him, this is who you are. Although you had ups and downs, I loved the resiliency. He played [all] 82 games. Played through injury, fatigue, frustration. Never complained, never wavered from the work he put in, and was rewarded with that towards the end of the season.
It takes time for everyone. You see the talent and potential. To see him fight through that and achieve that late in the season, we were all very proud of him.
Complete video of Udoka’s press conference can be viewed below.
Green finished as Houston’s second-leading scorer this season, averaging 19.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game. He started all 82 games and showed progress defensively, as well.
