2 Studs, 1 dud from Rockets' bounce-back win vs Lakers

The Houston Rockets got destroyed by the Celtics. There's no way to sugarcoat it. That game was so far from competitive that it let Rockets fans know how far they were from true title contention.

That's acceptable. The average age of this group is low. The Rockets are not supposed to be world-beaters. If anything, they've played above their heads in 2024-25. Still, a bounce-back win was needed - not just to pacify the fans, but to give the team some confidence.

Mission accomplished. The Rockets enjoyed a decisive win over LeBron James' Lakers in Sunday's action. This was an encouraging victory.

Here are two studs and one dud from the contest.

Stud: Jalen Green

What can I say?

There have been ample questions about Green this year. In the aggregate, he's struggled in 2024-25. Criticism has been warranted.

In this game, Green answered his critics.

He finished with 33 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists. Green was 12/24 from the field and 5/12 from long-range. Beyond the stats, Green was consistently aggressive. He was deliberate in his shot selection. Green worked hard on defense as well. What's not to love?

Well, some will quibble with his shot diet. That 5/12 mark from distance is arguably problematic. Green has not proven himself to be someone who will consistently connect on half of a tremendous number of three-point attempts.

That said: how many NBA players can go 5/12 on mostly off the dribble threes in a single game? Green has flaws, but his potential was on full display last night. It was an outstanding performance by any measure.

Stud: Amen Thompson

Thompson had been serving a suspension for the two previous games.

If he'd been available against Boston, it would have at least been a more competitive contest.

Last night, he showed how important he is to this Rockets squad. Thompson had 23 points on 11/19 shooting to go with 16 rebounds and 3 assists. If there was any issue with his performance, it would be that he went 0/3 from deep.

Yet, it's worth analyzing his volume as well as Green's. Three long-range attempts are roughly an optimal number for Thompson. The Rockets need him to be a willing shooter, but it's not his strength - and that's putting it politely.

Otherwise, Thompson was sensational. He made life impossible for the Lakers on defense, dominated the glass, and scored in the paint at will. Best of all, the sophomore is only beginning to explore his potential.

Dud: Alperen Sengun

On a surface level, Sengun's performance wasn't abysmal. He had 14 points on 6/14 shooting to go with 6 rebounds and 4 assists.

An optimist might point out that Sengun's baseline is productive. Even when he's struggling, he chips in rebounds and assists. That's fair:

But this was not a good game for the young star.

The Lakers relentlessly hunted Sengun on the defensive end. His strides on that end have been well-documented in 2024-25, but Sengun can't afford to regress. Ime Udoka will continue to pull him down the stretch if he isn't a two-way player:

It's Houston's defense that's kept them from getting destroyed more regularly.