Rockets had many contributors to a successful Summer League

As the Summer League came to an end for the Houston Rockets on Tuesday versus the Portland Trail Blazers, coach Will Weaver was impressed with the young core. Weaver said:

“I’m obviously obsessed trying to help them all play good and look good and speed up their learning curve as much as I can. Then you take a step back and listen to your colleagues and friends around Vegas, and hear ‘I like what your guys are doing.’ Full credit to Eli, Rafael, Jimmy P., and our staff does an incredible job on covering a lot of these guys.”

Although Jalen Green had an early exit due to a strain hamstring, he gave an amazing performance in Las Vegas. He amazed spectators with his terrific scoring by averaging 20 points per game with 51.4/52.6/92.9 shooting splits from the field. Green had a 70.7 true shooting percentage as well. As spectators saw, the G-League prepared Green for the NBA, as he showed leadership, understanding the pick-and-roll philosophy, and being able to play defense at a high level. Green even approached his mistakes on the court in a mature manner with the media. He expects to perform well in all aspect of his game.

As of this week, Green made the second team inside the NBA Summer League, scoring a total of 61 points in 72 minutes and had a 102.7 defensive rating. Only Green’s strained hamstring caused that predicament. Thankfully, he’ll be healthy for the regular season.

Josh Christopher has proven his defensive ability in different coverages on the court. Inside of the Summer League, Christopher allowed 3 of 12 shooting with five forced turnovers while only giving up .474 points per possessions and finished in the 85^th percentile amongst that category. He even finished with a 101.1 defensive rating. Christopher has gotten a ton of comparisons to Jrue Holiday and Eric Gordon because of his tenacious defense and size.

Although Christopher is a great defender, he has shown his offensive ability next to Green. Christopher has a nice a skill set of putting the ball on the floor for pull-ups or drive byes. He isn’t an easy player to guard because of his downhill ability. His massive shoulders allow space to be created or forced so Christopher can get an easier look at the basket. Christopher loves taking comfortable shots near the rim, and he loves his midrange game.

Before the Rockets played the Trail Blazers, Christopher did struggle. He was shooting 16 of 52 from the field, which is 30.8 percent. While playing against Portland, Christopher shot 57 percent from the field with 20 points and was one of the main catalysts for Houston’s comeback win. As Christopher closed out his NBA entrance, he finished with 16.8 points per game while shooting 38.5 percent from the field.

Alperen Sengun capped off a great performance in the Summer League, as he showcased his versality throughout the tournament. He amazed spectators with his rebounding, defense, passing, and scoring. Sengun marveled in all aspects of his game because he continued to be aggressive. Coach Weaver was impressed with his skills set at 6’10”. Weaver said:

“It’s a credit to his natural physical and mental tools. We’re excited to try and unleash that in some other ways.”

Sengun proved that he can be successful in pick-and-roll opportunities because of his IQ. He knows how to choose his spots as a roller and screener on the court. Another thing Sengun does so well is create space from opposing players for open shots and easy layups. Hopefully, Silas finds room for him during this season with Christian Wood and Daniel Theis. Sengun finished the summer league with 14.5 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 blocks per game

Armoni Brooks missed the first three games of Summer League due to safety and health protocols. In Brooks’ last game of Summer League, he made nine triples with 30 points and became the main pioneer of a 12-2 run that sparked Houston’s victory. Brooks thankfully redeemed himself after shooting 25 percent the previous game versus the Orlando Magic.

It’s still incredible that Brooks can find his spots around screens and different areas on the court. Silas will possibly find minutes for Brooks this upcoming season. Although this roster is deep, Brooks could still play and provide impact throughout the game.

Coach Silas will have his hands full with the rotation, which is a good thing. John Wall and Eric Gordon are still on the roster, so it makes harder for other players to get minutes. There are rumors from the Athletic that Danuel House could get an extension and Jae’Sean Tate will come off the bench.

Minutes will be compact for the younger core, but hopefully there is a solution. One of Silas’ top goals will be working out the rotations during training camp and the preseason.