To Limit Rockets Jalen Green In Second Half, Kings Picked Up Defensive Intensity

After scoring 25 first-half points, the Kings made it a priority to pick up the defensive pressure on Houston Rockets second-year guard Jalen Green.

Jalen Green appeared to be on the verge of adding his name to the list of players who scored 40 or more points this season.

With 30 seconds left in the second quarter, Green drilled a heavily contested 3-pointer over the top of Terence Davis. His shot brought the Rockets within three points against the Sacramento Kings by halftime (69-66). But more notably, Green's triple was a testament that his offensive struggles were over.

Green set a career-high for points in a half. He scored 25 points on 9-of-15 shooting, 5-of-6 from behind the arc. But by the end of the game inside the Golden 1 Center, Green finished with 27 points as the Rockets fell 139-114 to the Sacramento Kings Friday night.

Coach Stephen Silas said the Kings made a strong effort to take the ball out of Green's hands in the second half. And according to Sacramento's coach Mike Brown, the defensive strategy worked.

"He is a talented young man who has a lot of skills," Brown said. "He can score from all three levels. We started double-teaming him more in pick-and-roll situations and said, 'hey, someone else is going to beat us.'"

In addition to the Kings blitzing Green, Brown said De'Aaron Fox picked up his one-on-one ball pressure, which also played a role in his second-half struggles. 

The defensive adjustments Sacramento made forced Green to give up the ball early. It ruined his momentum and held his scoring to two points on 1-of-6 shooting. By limiting Green, the Kings outscored the Rockets 70-48 during the second half.

"He can either attack the blitz, but he was making the right plays," Silas said. "He was finding the short roll and giving it to the next available pass. As far as his growth against blitzes, he did a good job."

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You can follow Coty M. Davis on Twitter at @CotyDavis_24

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