Chris Clemons lighting up the G-League

After getting some run with the big boys due to injury, the Houston Rockets recently sent rookie guard Chris Clemons down to the G-League so that he could continue to play basketball, even after the varsity squad returned to full health. And it appears Clemons has taken what he’s learned with the Rockets and brought it with him to Rio Grande Valley.

According to USA Today, Clemons went off to the tune of 40 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals, with 6 three-pointers and tied the game up with 3 seconds remaining, only for Austin to hit a shot at the buzzer to spoil Clemons’ performance.

Clemons has played in 6 games for Rio Grande Valley, averaging 24.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 2.7 steals per game on 35 percent from the field and 33 percent from deep in 32 minutes per contest.

He’s also played in 22 games for the Rockets, averaging 5.2 points per game on 43 percent from the field and 39 percent from three. His best game came back on November 16 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, where he got some extra run when both Eric Gordon and Russell Westbrook were out. His 5-9 shooting from deep helped propel Houston to a 20-point victory.

Clemons has racked up 5 double-digit scoring games in the NBA, and his gunslinger mentality and ability to get hot from deep has helped the Rockets, but his size has really worked against him defensively.

It’s good to see him getting some action and doing well in Rio Grande, because the only way to improve at basketball is to play more basketball. I’m sure we haven’t seen the last of him with the Rockets.