J-Speaks: Houston's Newest Sensation

Since garnering their 14^th straight win versus the Utah Jazz (16-23) on Dec. 18, 2017, the Houston Rockets have lost six of their last eight game, which included five consecutive losses from Dec. 20, 2017 to Dec. 31, 2017. Their modest two-game winning streak was snapped at the hands of the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors (31-8) on Thursday night on TNT 124-114. On top of that, the Rockets are without their top gun James Harden for at least the next six weeks because of a Grade 2 left hamstring he sustained in the team’s 148-142 double overtime win on New Year’s Eve 2017 versus the struggling Los Angeles Lakers (11-27). They are also without their perimeter defensive ace Luc Mbah a Moute, who has been out since mid-December because of a dislocated right shoulder. They since have turned to a native of “Clutch City” who has provided some serious scoring punch from the perimeter. 

Just one week ago, sharp shooting forward Gerald Green was an unemployed, playing hoops in the driveway of his Boston, MA home with his dog. Suddenly the Rockets who were in town for a game at the Celtics that night, acquired about him joining the team, and he did not hesitate to sign with the team he grew up rooting for. 

Since joining the Rockets, for his second stint, playing one game for them in the 2007-078 season, the 10-year veteran, who has played for eight teams in his NBA career, along with a couple of stints overseas has averaged 16.8 points, shooting 54.9 percent from the field, and 56.8 percent from three-point range. 

Green has been especially impressive in his last two games for the Rockets with 27 points, and six rebounds, going 7 for 10 from three-point range in his new team’s 116-98 victory at the Orlando Magic (12-27) on Wednesday night, and a 29-point outing, going 8 for 15 from three-point range one night later versus the Warriors. 

“All I’ve been doing is shooting in my driveway, and playing one-on-one with my Rottweiler,” Green said to ESPN after his performance off the bench on Thursday night in the Rockets prior mentioned loss versus the Warriors. 

Green’s great start with the Rockets convinced their front office and General Manager Darryl Morey to guarantee his $1.4 million contract for the remainder of the season, league sources have said to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

The Rockets waived the non-guaranteed contract of reserve guard Bobby Brown on Friday, according to a league source.

How much has this opportunity to play for his hometown team meant for the No. 18 overall pick in 2005 by the Celtics out of Gulf Shores Academy in Houston, TX? Well, Green has the Rockets logo braided into his hair, and when entering the Toyota Center before the team’s anticipated tilt versus the Warriors on Thursday, Green wore an No. 34 Earl Campbell Houston Oilers throwback jersey to the game.

For Green, who has played as mentioned for the Celtics for two stints, and one game for the Rockets 10 years ago, has also played for the Minnesota Timberwolves, the then New Jersey Nets, Indiana Pacers, Phoenix Suns, and Miami Heat. 

Having the chance to play for his hometown team, and playing a big role for a good team is an opportunity that Green is taking full advantage of. 

“It means everything. Just being in the city of Houston, this is everything to me. It’s something that I dreamed about,” Green said. 

“It just gives you that much more energy, because this is the place I dreamed of being. Don’t get me wrong – any team in the league, I’m blessed to be on. But to be the team that you dreamed about as a little kid, it’s just that much more special.” 

Along with playing for multiple teams in his NBA career, Green has also had the humbling experience of playing as previously mentioned on the other side of the globe for two years in Russia from 2009-2011 when no NBA teams were calling for his services. 

There were times over the past few months Green, who played for the East runner-up Celtics a season ago if he would even get another opportunity to play basketball – not just in the National Basketball Association, but anywhere. 

“No team wanted me, man. No team wanted me. No team wanted me,” Green, who was waived by the Milwaukee Bucks prior to the start of the 2017-18 NBA campaign said. “No overseas team. Not even a D [G]-League team. So, this is the only team that took a chance on me. For me, I’m just so overwhelmed, and excited about the opportunity. 

Prior to his splashy start with the Rockets, Green has become best known for winning the NBA Slam Dunk Contest on All-Star Weekend in 2007. The next season he expanded on that showmanship when he opened the 2008 Slam Dunk competition with a dunk he called “The Birthday Cake,” where he blew out a candle on a cupcake that was set on the back of the rim while dunking the basketball. Green finished as the runner up to now Charlotte Hornets center Dwight Howard.  

He hopes to beef up his career resume by continuing his strong play for the Rockets, and a major key to that is getting his conditioning back to peak NBA form. 

Back on Thursday night, he feels his fatigue was a big reason he could not complete an alley-oop pass from All-Star lead guard Chris Paul on a fast break attempt in the second quarter versus the Warriors. Green’s inability to complete that lob pass with a slam dunk caused the ball to bounce off the backboard, and into the hands of a Warriors’ player to count as a turnover. 

He readily said that he felt winded in his 34 minutes against the Warriors, and wants to get his conditioning to the point where he can play with all out energy when he is on the floor. 

“My legs fell out,” Green said after the game. “That’s never happened to me before in my life. I’ve just got to get better.” 

That play aside, Green has as previously mentioned has been incredible from three-point distance. Prior to the last two games, he had only game in his NBA career where made seven three-pointers or more just once. 

“I’ve always been able to shoot,” Green said, “You can only do so much when you [don’t] get opportunity. You can’t really hit shots on the bench.” 

Just two weeks ago Gerald Green was shooting shots against his Rottweiler Zeus in his driveway. Now, his entire hometown has their eyes on him living out his dream of playing for the team he rooted for as a young child. He has not only become an instant fan favorite at the Toyota Center, and hopes to continue his stellar play, particularly when Harden, and Mbah a Moute return from injury. 

“Thank goodness we got him,” Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni said at the close of this week. “He’s been really good. He’s not just good. It’s not like, ‘Oh, this is nice.’ He’s been really good.” 

Information, statistics, and quotations are courtesy of www.espn.com/nba/standings; www.espn.com/nba/team/schedule/_/name/hou/houston-rockets; 1/5/18 www.espn.com article, “Gerald Green’s Hot Streak is Extra Special for Houston Native,” by Tim MacMahon; 1/5/18 www.espn.com article, “Rockets Hanging on to Gerald Green For the Rest of Season, Sources say,” by Adrian Wojnarowski; and https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_Green.