Barring major injuries or blowout margins, veteran forward Jeff Green is unlikely to play much for the Houston Rockets during the 2026 NBA playoffs (starting with a first-round matchup versus the Los Angeles Lakers).
But a lack of on-court minutes doesn’t mean that Green — who is winding down his third season with the 52-30 Rockets — can’t make a postseason impact.
Speaking after Sunday’s regular-season finale, in which Green played 24 minutes due to a combination of the game’s inconsequential stakes and its lopsided margin, the 39-year-old addressed the team’s upcoming playoff run.
Among his comments (via Space City Home Network):
This is what we play for. The playoffs are a different feeling, and I love it.. The competitive nature is what you play for. That bolt of energy that you get from the first game is amazing. I always look forward to it.
I’m blessed. Our team did a great job of allowing my career, in my 19th year, to be in that position again. So, I’m thankful for them, and I’m going to be the biggest cheerleader over there. Helping them out, calling out plays, and making sure that we’re in the right spots… because those guys are going to get me where I need to go. Looking forward to it.
That mindset is among the reasons that Green was recently named as a finalist for the NBA’s 2025-26 Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award.
According to the league office, the annual honor recognizes the player deemed the best teammate based on selfless play; on- and off-court leadership as a mentor and role model to other NBA players; and commitment and dedication to the team.
With six finalists from the Eastern and Western Conference, the winner will be selected by a poll of current NBA players and announced later this spring.
This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Jeff Green, NBA Teammate of the Year? Rockets veteran shows why he’s a finalist
Reporting by Ben DuBose, Rockets Wire / Rockets Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
