Jalen Green Prepares for NBA Playoff Challenge Amid Distractions

HOUSTON, Texas — As the NBA playoffs approach, Houston Rockets shooting guard Jalen Green is focused on his debut amidst online distractions. In a recent Instagram story, Green emphasized his determination to stay committed to basketball, signaling a serious approach for the postseason.

Green’s Rockets finished the 2024-2025 season with a record of 52-30, securing the second seed in the Western Conference and marking the team’s return to the playoffs for the first time in years. With a roster filled with youthful talent, including star center Alperen Şengün and versatile wing Amen Thompson, the Rockets aim to make waves in the postseason.

The Rockets will face off against the seventh-seeded Golden State Warriors in a first-round series, a team with a wealth of playoff experience. Led by four-time NBA champions Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, along with new addition Jimmy Butler III, the Warriors bring significant pedigree into the matchup.

On Thursday, Green posted a candid message on Instagram indicating his intent to minimize distractions. “Leave my girl out it I’m deactivating my shi for playoffs,” he wrote, referencing his relationship with Draya Michele. Despite the age gap between them—Green at 23 and Michele at 40—the couple has faced scrutiny, but have largely kept their relationship private.

The Rockets will host the Warriors for Game 1 on Sunday at Toyota Center. Analysts expect the series to be closely contested, given the Rockets’ athletic depth and the Warriors’ star power.

In an interview with the Houston Chronicle’s Danielle Lerner earlier this week, Green expressed the significance of his playoff debut, describing the experience as a dream realized. “This is what I’ve dreamed about since I got in the league. Really, since I was young,” he said. “But just last year, seeing the vision, this is what I’ve been dreaming about.” He noted that Houston has established itself as a formidable competitor in a cutthroat Western Conference.

“It was about the way we win,” Green continued. “We all got that feeling that we was actually fighting for something, and we ain’t really had that feeling before.”

Having played all 82 games this past season and leading the Rockets in scoring with an average of 21.0 points per game, Green aims to translate his offensive success into the playoffs, where he anticipates facing tougher defensive matchups.