Why Jeff Green is the Houston Rockets’ most important bench player

Jeff Green is not one of the first members of the Houston Rockets that comes to mind, but his role is more important than many think.

The Houston Rockets have had issues off the bench for most of the season, finding themselves near the bottom of the league in bench scoring. With so little margin for error, the guys that do get time off the bench as the playoffs near are more important than ever.

The Rockets are 28th in bench scoring and, for most of the season, relying heavily on the production from their starters. To start the season, the Rockets had a bench led by either Eric Gordon or Danuel House, depending on the game. The rest included guys like Tyson Chandler, Thabo Sefolosha, Ben McLemore, and Austin Rivers.

By the time the trade deadline passed, moves by the Rockets had the bench unit looking completely different. By trading Clint Capela and bringing in Robert Covington, the Rockets went all-in on small ball. This moved P.J. Tucker to center and left Tyson Chandler as the only other traditional center on the roster after Isaiah Hartenstein was released.

This is where Jeff Green comes in and why he is the most important Rocket off the bench.

Next: Jeff Green's Impact