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Jalen Green · Escaping the confines and complexities of a four-time title-winning defense wasn’t the easiest puzzle for Jalen Green to solve during his first-ever trek through the NBA postseason. But, as stars perfectly aligned in Game Two, the Houston Rockets’ steadily-ascending fourth-year star created a picture that’s likely to inspire confidence all offseason long. Rewarded for being the first to react after the Golden State Warriors miscommunicate on a perimeter pass, Green turns into a human cannonball after his steal, prompting a nightmare one-on-one scenario for Gui Santos in transition. Guaranteed the edge in nearly any through-the-air head-to-head the NBA could offer, Green trampolines his way into a one-handed tomahawk jam that pads Houston’s second-half lead further. April 23, 2025’s series-tying win served as the highwater mark for Green, as he tallied 38 points (on 13-of-25 shooting), joined by four rebounds, six assists, three steals, eight 3-pointers, and a +19 plus-minus. · State of Mint