HOUSTON (SportsRadio 610)- Ime Udoka was well aware of the talent Jalen Green possessed when he took the Rockets head coach job last April, so the high-flying dunks and scoring outbursts have been no surprise, but one aspect of Green's game Udoka wasn't expecting was his durability.
"He's slight of frame, not the biggest guy," Udoka said Tuesday. "He can play through some things and has been motivated to play through that."
The Rockets will play their 80th game on Thursday night in Salt Lake City, and Green will be introduced with the rest with the rest of their starters for the 80th time. He is the only Rocket to have played every game this season, and he's on his way to being their first player to start all 82 games since P.J. Tucker during the 2018-19 campaign.
"It's great just how available he is," Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr, who has started 73 games this season, said. "Nobody is going to be 100 percent the whole season, so he's obviously had some injuries that he's been able to fight through and still get out there and fight with us, so it's just hats off to him for that and how much he takes care of his body."
There was a time when playing all 82 games wasn't that big a deal. 42 players hit that mark 20 years ago, 29 did so a decade later, but only 10 players appeared in every game last season, which was double the number from the season before.
"Being available is a big thing," Udoka said. "Him battling through adversity, ups and downs this year and continuing to grind it out. He hasn't missed anything, and so that's been great.
Green missed just six games last season after sitting out 15 as a rookie, but he says being able to suit up for every game this season matters to him.
"I trained all my body to play all 82," Green said Monday. "I want to play every game."
"It's a sign of resilience for a guy who plays through everybody being injured or in pain at some point," Udoka said. "I'm sure it's something he wants to get done, so we haven't talked about it, but something that doesn't go unnoticed."
Green is averaging 19.8 points this season, but he's played his best basketball since returning from the All-Star Break, averaging 23.8 points per game on 45.5 percent shooting, but that doesn't mean his body feels any better now than it did at this point of his first two NBA seasons.
"I'm still sore," Green said. "But it's all about the recovery. Staying on top of strengthening in the weight room, so everything's still the same, just better routine."
19 players have not missed a game this season, entering play on Thursday. Green 19.8 points per game scoring average is second highest among them, which makes Green's feat more impressive in the eyes of his coach.
"Especially in this day and age when guys sit out off of pretty much anything. Not only the fact that he's playing a lot of minutes and is an integral player, integral part of our team, but like I said, just the mentality of some of the young guys today to sit out for any knick and knack. Him playing through stuff has been great."
