NBA Power Rankings Week 1: Lakers woes and other first impressions

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 12: LeBron James #6 and Russell Westbrook #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers on the basketball court together during the second half of a preseason basketball game against the Golden State Warriors at Staples Center on October 12, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) /

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Jalen Green, Houston Rockets. Photo by Harrison Barden/Getty Images /

team. 169. . 1-1. Previous: 29th. Houston Rockets. 27

Last Week: (L) to Minnesota; (W) over Oklahoma City

In the early going the Houston Rockets are giving their young players some run, but they are also mixing in some of the veterans on the team. Whether that is meant to showcase Eric Gordon for a trade or help this team chase wins, the team’s veterans in Gordon and Christian Wood have played well for the Rockets to start the season.

Wood in particular has been active on both ends of the court, leading the league with 23.5 points per game to go along with 11.5 rebounds and two blocks. He is hitting 50 percent of his 6.0 3-point attempts per game, making the experiment of playing him at the 4 work well thus far.

First Impression: Jalen Green as looked shaky to start. He still possesses a fair amount of the burst that he showed off in the G League last year and in Summer League and preseason this year, but in two games thus far he has struggled to find the bottom of the basket. He has scored exactly nine points in each game, shooting 32 percent from the field. Teenagers should absolutely be given slack to develop at their pace, but there was certainly excitement in Houston and around the league for a better start than this.