The Houston Rockets' young core is beginning to gel

The Houston Rockets almost had an issue against the Wizards on Tuesday.

The first quarter was concerning. The Wizards won the opening frame by 10 points. They're arguably the worst team in the league. A loss to Washington would have been disheartening for a contending Rockets team.

Luckily, they didn't need to worry about it.

Midway through the second quarter, Houston put it together. They'd dominate the tanking Wizards for the rest of the game. Something clicked for the Rockets:

That's happening a lot lately.

Young Rockets are beginning to gel

Jalen Green performed strongly in this game. Don't look now, but that's beginning to look like a trend.

Sure, any decent NBA starter should be able to turn in a good game against the Wizards. Over his last 15 games, Green is averaging 22.2 points per game, shooting 44.3% from the field and 34.9% from the three-point range.

It would be optimal if Green shot a better percentage from long-range. That said, it's worth noting that he sustains himself on an exceedingly difficult shot diet. Green is attempting 8.4 threes per game over that stretch. He's shouldering an immense load for a Rockets team that struggles with three-point volume and accuracy.

If you sold your Green stock, don't rush out to buy it back. Skeptics should wait for a larger sample size before they invest in him again, but his recent stretch has been encouraging.

By contrast: buy all the Amen Thompson stock. Now. It's not getting any cheaper.

Against the Wizards, Thompson had 20 points, 15 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals. Those numbers closely resemble his stats against the Lakers in Houston's last game, when Thompson had 23 points, 16 rebounds, 3 assists and a steal. He's thriving as a starter in Jabari Smith Jr.'s absence.

Alperen Sengun remains steady. He was missing some easy shots against Washington, but he bounced back to finish with 26 points on 12/23 shooting to go with 10 rebounds and 6 assists.

Did anyone underperform against Washington?

Rockets may have a Cam Whitmore problem

There's certainly been some concern about Cam Whitmore. He was demonstrably upset in a recent post-game interview, and last night, he displayed some questionable body language.

Let's be honest - the Rockets are doing well with Whitmore in a minimal role. Ultimately, they may have too much talent to give him a fair shake. If he's not part of the future, Houston will be OK.

What's more significant is that Sengun and Green are performing well concurrently. There have been ample questions about their fit, so any time that they thrive simultaneously, it's positive. Coupled with Amen Thompson's impending breakout, the future looks bright for the Rockets:

Even if they lost a quarter to the Wizards.