In a featured showdown between the No. 1 and No. 2 draft picks, it was Jalen Green who received more offensive help from his teammates in the Houston Rockets‘ 111-91 win over the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night at the NBA summer league in Las Vegas.
Green — the second overall pick, who bypassed college basketball to play in the G League — scored 25 points in 30 minutes, going 6-of-11 from the field and 10-of-11 on free throws. His third and final 3-pointer gave the Rockets an 18-point lead with two minutes left.
Cade Cunningham — the first overall pick after spending one season at Oklahoma State — was 8-of-18 from the field for 20 points to lead Detroit. Luka Garza, the high-scoring big man out of Iowa who was drafted No. 52 overall, added 15 points.
Asked what it was like going up against Cunningham for the first time as pros, Green told ESPN postgame, “It was fun. He’s a good player. … I have respect for him, that’s the reason we come on the court, and we’re gonna battle it every time. So it was a good game overall.”
Josh Christopher, the No. 24 selection out of Arizona State, helped Green run the Houston offense with 15 points and seven assists. Turkey’s Alperen Sengun, the No. 16 pick, controlled the paint for Houston with 21 points, eight rebounds and three blocks.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.