(Recorded March 31st)

Salman Ali (@SalmanAliNBA) and Forrest Walker (@DUNOTS) discuss:

* On the Rockets continued success

* Can Houston make the Play-In Tournament?

* Other than shooting, where is Jalen Green improving?

* Is Green playing better because of Alperen Sengun’s absence?

* How does Sengun fit into Houston’s long-term plans?

* Reacting to the latest buzz about the Rockets itching for a superstar trade

All that and more.

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Salman Ali (@SalmanAliNBA) and Forrest Walker (@DUNOTS) discusses the Houston Rockets winning 9 straight games and putting themselves in position to make the NBA Play-In Tournament.

Topics include:

-How are the Rockets winning without Sengun?

-Ime Udoka’s adjustments

-Is Jalen Green back on track to stardom?

-Dissecting Green’s streaky scoring efficiency

-Amen Thompson emergence

-Jabari Smith’s steadiness throughout the run and this season as a whole

-Was the NBA’s suspension justified?

-Can Houston actually make the Play-In? Does it matter?

All that and more.

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Salman Ali (@SalmanAliNBA) and Forrest Walker (@DUNOTS) discuss:

* Alperen Sengun likely out for the season

* Cam Whitmore out for three weeks

* What are the Rockets remaining goals for the season?

* Amen Thompson excitement

* Reacting to Jalen Green's scoring outbursts

* Where does Green rank among Houston's other prospects?

All that and more.

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Salman Ali (@SalmanAliNBA) and Forrest Walker (@DUNOTS) discuss:

-Possible fallout from Tari Eason’s season ending surgery

-Reacting to Jalen Green’s latest scoring outburst

-What is the proper way to react to these games?

-Has Green put concerns about his starting spot to bed?

-Grading Rafael Stone’s tenure as GM of the Rockets

-Where does Stone rank among all NBA GMs?

-How does he compare to his predecessor, Daryl Morey?

-Are some fans wrong to feel let down by Stone?

-Should Stone receive a contract extension?

All that and more.

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Salman Ali (@SalmanAliNBA) and Forrest Walker (@DUNOTS) discuss:

-Rockets bench Alperen Şengün in crunch time

-Houston's reluctance to embrace Sengun as the franchise player

-The continued pushback of this reality

-Why is Houston still feverishly pursuing centers at the deadline?

-What should they aim to achieve at the trade deadline?

-Who are some realistic targets?

-Jalen Green's much improved play

-Is Green safe at the deadline now?

-Why Green's best chance at stardom is as a point guard (long-term)

-Should Houston trade Brooklyn's 2024 1st rounder?

-Could a star player be available for the Rockets?

All that and more.

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Salman Ali (@SalmanAliNBA) and Forrest Walker (@DUNOTS) discuss:

-Why have the Rockets struggled so much since Christmas?

-Is Houston regressing to the mean as a team?

-If they miss the play-in tournament, is this season a failure?

-What is a reasonable goal for the remainder of the season?

-Should the Rockets make a trade for the sole purpose of making the play-in tournament? -What kinds of trades should they pursue?

-Are any of the core 6 players up for grabs?

-What return should Houston want in a Jalen Green trade?

-Should Jalen Green be starting anymore?

-What are some more reasonable deals the Rockets could make at the deadline?

All that and more.

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Salman Ali (@SalmanAliNBA) and Forrest Walker (@DUNOTS) discuss:

-Jalen Green's improved play

-Has Green secured his starting spot?

-Cam Whitmore's monster production

-Is Whitmore a better prospect than Green?

-How did so many teams pass on Whitmore?

-The competition for Green's spot in Houston's core

-Alperen Sengun's ridiculous 3-week stretch

-Will Sengun make the All-Star team this year?

-Can Sengun be the best player on a title contender?

-Houston's tough long-term financial decisions

-Besides Sengun, who will the Rockets be willing to pay?

-Some long overdue praise for Jabari Smith Jr.

-Has Smith secured his spot alongside Sengun?

-Will Tari Eason break into Houston's long-term core?

All that and more.

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Salman Ali (@SalmanAliNBA) and Forrest Walker (@DUNOTS) analyze Jalen Green's recent struggles for the Rockets (late upload).

Topics include:

-The cause of Jalen Green's struggles

-Do we still believe in Green the player?

-How can the Rockets help Green out?

-Ime Udoka's 4th quarter benchings of Green

-Will Udoka continue to start Green?

-Will the Rockets eventually trade Green? Should they?

-What kinds of Jalen Green trades are actually worth it?

All that and more.

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Salman Ali (@SalmanAliNBA) and Chron.com's Michael Shapiro (@mshap2) discuss:

-What was the goal of Phase 2? Has that changed?

-How long does Phase 2 last? What does Phase 3 look like?

-Who are the "untouchables" on the Rockets?

-How will extension negotiations with Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun look?

-How have Jalen Green's struggles impacted Houston's vision?

-Will the Rockets trade Green? Should they?

-What type of star is worth Houston pursuing? What type isn't?

-What about Donavan Mitchell?

-How can the Rockets get Jalen going offensively?

-Why is the Fred VanVleet and Jalen Green dynamic still awkward?

-Does Green need to come off the bench?

-Should Tari Eason be a starter?

-Will Tilman Fertitta have the patience to wait for Phase 3?

All that and more.

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Salman Ali (@SalmanAliNBA) and Chuck (@ChuckingDarts) discuss:

* A deep dive into how good the Rockets have been 

* Did either of us expect this?

* Is Alperen Sengun the franchise player?

* How should the Rockets build around Sengun?

* What kind of roster will the Rockets need long-term?

* Is Jalen Green the most obvious co-star candidate for Sengun?

* Other potential rostered co-stars (Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith, etc..)

* Are Rockets fans are overthinking Jalen Green?

* Who could Houston trade for to put next to Sengun?

* Salman eats crow on Jabari Smith

* How the pairing of Smith and Sengun has finally gelled

* What qualifies as Houston's "core"?

* Will Jabari outgrow his current role?

* Where do Sengun, Green, and Jabari rank among other young NBA prospects?

* How did so many people miss on Sengun in 2021?

All that and more.

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This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.rednationhoops.com/subscribe

Salman Ali (@SalmanAliNBA) and Bleacher Report's Dan Favale (@danfavale) discuss:

-How surprising is the Rockets hot start?

-Is there an element of luck with some of this?

-Dan recalibrates his views on Alperen Sengun

-Has the Rockets front office regained some respect?

-Ime Udoka's impact on Dillon Brooks

-Why we shouldn't discredit GM Rafael Stone for any of this

-Jalen Green will take some time and that's okay

Plus:

-What do the Rockets do as an organization now?

-Should Alperen Sengun be viewed as the franchise player now?

-How should the Rockets build around Sengun?

-Who's untouchable in a theoretical star player trade?

-Should Houston make a big swing or stand pat?

All that and more.

Look for RNH on Apple, Google, Spotify, and more.

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This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.rednationhoops.com/subscribe