Jalen Green, Houston Rockets Display Potential in Preseason Finale: Notebook

Green scored 20 points on 6-of-15 shooting from the field, 3-of-7 from behind the arc. He felt "good" in his return after switching shoes during warm-ups.

HOUSTON — A botched break-away dunk attempt by Jalen Green with 4:30 left in the third quarter may have been his lone mishap Friday night against the Miami Heat. Green returned to the starting lineup following a two-game absence to lead the Houston Rockets to a 110-104 preseason victory over the Heat.

He scored 20 points on 6-of-15 shooting from the field, 3-of-7 from behind the arc. Green said he felt "good" in his return after switching shoes during warm-ups. He looked explosive and unbothered from the toe injury that sidelined him for back-to-back games against the San Antonio Spurs. 

"I think we’re in a really good spot," Green said. "We know what we have to do to win games. It’s preseason, but it still matters how we come out, what energy we bring, how we play together."

Coach Ime Udoka used this game as the final dress rehearsal before the 2023-24 season. He felt "okay" after the win but found reassurance in his team's improved production after two subpar performances against the Spurs.

The Rockets closed their five-game preseason schedule with a 4-1 record. Inside the Toyota Center, Houston displayed the potential that could lead to a successful kick-start into phase II of its rebuild.

Green looked more polished on the offensive end. And despite his scoring, Green's production did not hinder the performance of his teammates.

Fred VanVleet added 20 points (7-for-10 FG, 3-for-4 3PT), while Alperen Sengun recorded a double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds. Sengun added to the Rockets' enhanced defensive execution by recording three blocks. 

The Rockets held the Heat to 27.6 percent shooting from behind the arc. They gave up a combined one 3-point field goal between Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson. 

"Overall, I think guys are getting what we’re asking them to do," Udoka said. "We still have a ways to go. Obviously, it’s real next week. But I think the foundation has kind of been set. They know what we’re asking for offensively and defensively, and we have four days to sharpen up still."

Rockets head coach Ime Udoka low fives Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green after the Miami Heat called timeout / Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports

Rockets improved their readiness vs. Heat: With Green returning from injury, the Rockets had their entire starting lineup back for the first time since Oct. 12. Houston improved its readiness against Miami by scoring 31 points in the first quarter. But for Udoka, a fast start to the game had more to do with his players' "attention to detail" rather than having his starting unit. 

"I felt better about the start," Udoka said. "They were competitive during the first quarter. But our attention to detail was better. We did not let guys get loose as easily as we did in the last two games. 

"To me, regardless of who is playing, we dig heavily into the personnel. It doesn't matter who is playing or not — I think our focus was better to start the game."

During their two-game preseason series in San Antonio, the Rockets trailed the Spurs by an average margin of 18.5 points in the first half. Against the Heat, the Rockets held a 14-point halftime lead.

Will Cam Whitmore be the odd man out of the rotation? Udoka wanted to use the preseason finale to go through his full rotation, which led to rookie Cam Whitmore receiving playing time at the 8:43 mark of the fourth quarter. His playing time against the Heat was a 180 from the previous four games, where he averaged 20.0 minutes.

Dillon Brooks started at the small forward position and played 27 minutes. Jae'Sean Tate and Reggie Bullock played a combined 20 minutes as reserves. Udoka used this rotation in the absence of Tari Eason, who proved to be Houston's sixth man before missing the final three preseason games due to a leg injury.

"We are still evaluating," Udoka said. "We are looking at [rotation spots] nine, 10 and 11. He [Whitmore] played well with his time. He had some rookie mistakes but did a great job with his aggressiveness.

"For us, it's consistency. He's going through the learning curve that all young guys do. Guys who played one year of college can only learn so much, and the experience stands out, more so than others. But he's learning pretty quickly. The things we have put in during our time in Louisiana, he is not making the same mistakes. We are looking for consistency with him."