3 studs, 1 dud from Rockets' nail biting win vs Hawks

The Houston Rockets can't stop winning.

Granted, their last contest was too close for comfort. The Rockets had a comfortable lead against the Hawks until Atlanta returned with a vengeance. They almost closed a tremendous gap in the fourth quarter.

Ultimately, their efforts fell short. The Rockets pulled out a 100-96 win. On the second night of a back-to-back, they'll take whatever they can get.

Here are three studs and one dud from that contest.

Stud: Jalen Green

Green nearly made the "dud" list. For much of this game, he was ineffective.

In the third quarter, he changed the course of his fate.

Green had 12 of his 25 points in the third frame. Give him credit. Having the resilience to "flip the switch" when it's been stuck on "off" for most of a given night is a star quality.

All told, Green was reasonably efficient in this one as well. He was 11/24 from the field. His 1/9 mark from long-range is concerning, but if not for his third-quarter offensive explosion, the Rockets likely suffer a loss in this one.

Stud: Alperen Sengun

Some of Sengun's more zealous fans are fuming about this game. To be sure, he sat for a long stretch in the second half. Ime Udoka was unimpressed with a handful of missed defensive rotations from his star big man.

He still had a solid night. Sengun finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds in just 29 minutes. He was a consistent source of offense whenever he was on the floor.

His diehard supporters find themselves taking a paradoxical position. Sengun has made remarkable defensive improvements. Would he have felt motivated to make those improvements if Udoka hadn't pulled him when he wasn't satisfied with his effort? This is a necessary measure, and to avoid it, Sengun will have to continue improving.

Stud: Jae'Sean Tate

Jae'Sean Tate isn't a fixture in the stud column. He isn't a fixture in the dud column. Tate doesn't generally receive enough playing time to impact the game in either direction.

Last night, he got an opportunity. Tate made the most of it. He finished this one with 16 points on 6/6 shooting from the field to go with 4 steals.

He put his full skillset on display. Tate played with frenetic energy, picking opportune moments to drive on offense and aggressively pursuing the ball on defense. He feels like a trade candidate for this team, so this may have been an advertisement to potential suitors.

Someone could use Tate more frequently than Houston does.

Dud: Fred VanVleet

VanVleet has been solid lately. His efficiency is trending up. Last night, he regressed.

Specifically, he finished with 5 points on 2/9 shooting from the field and 1/7 shooting from long-range. That's a problematic performance for VanVleet. As he shifts to an off-ball role, he doesn't have much utility if he's not hitting his threes.

Rockets fans need not panic. VanVleet is a stopgap anyway - the Rockets are hoping Amen Thompson or Reed Sheppard can eventually usurp him. Still, he needs to connect on his threes for the team to accomplish their 2024-25 goals.

In the meantime, they'll take a win however they get it.