Jalen Green finally showed up in Game 2 — and Charles Barkley took notice. After a brutal playoff debut in Game 1, the Houston Rockets star bounced back with a scorching 38-point performance to even the series against the Golden State Warriors. But if the Rockets plan to survive this first-round dogfight, Barkley says Green must fix the one thing that could hold them back: inconsistency.

During TNT’s post-game show, Barkley didn’t mince words about Green’s dramatic turnaround. “Jalen Green was awful in Game 1,” Barkley said bluntly. “He was fantastic tonight. He showed up and played like he’s supposed to play… But he’s got to find a way. You can’t go 38 and 7.”

The “7” referred to Green’s meager Game 1 scoring total — a forgettable 7-point outing on 20% shooting. And it wasn’t just a one-off. Barkley emphasized that this boom-or-bust trend has haunted Green all year. “It’s been a roller coaster,” Barkley said. “He’s got too much talent to be that up and down.”

Green’s bounce-back effort was undeniable. He dropped 38 points on 52% shooting, splashed in eight threes, and added six assists and three steals in Houston’s 109-94 win. It was a full-circle moment after critics roasted him for disappearing in Game 1. But Barkley’s larger point still stands — if the Rockets are going to win this series, Green has to be “that guy” every night.

The patience of the “Turkish Terminator”

Shaquille O’Neal, meanwhile, turned the spotlight toward another Rockets hero: Alperen Şengün. Dubbed the “Turkish Terminator,” Şengün delivered a monster 17-point, 16-rebound, 7-assist performance and boasted a game-best +28 in 37 minutes. “He’s very patient,” Shaq said. “One thing about the European players — you’re not going to speed them up.”

And that patience paid off big. The Rockets methodically attacked weak points in Golden State’s defense, including rookie Quinten Post, who was relentlessly hunted in the second half. With Green pulling the strings and Şengün calmly picking apart mismatches, Houston exposed every soft spot the Warriors offered.

But as Shaq noted, the real test begins now. “Can they do it on the road?” he asked. Game 3 in San Francisco will test whether Green’s leap was a flash or a sign of growth. If Game 1 hinted at the Warriors’ playoff pedigree, Game 2 showed just how fragile that foundation can be without Jimmy Butler. The veteran forward exited with a pelvis contusion after colliding mid-air with Amen Thompson, and Golden State’s offense promptly fell off a cliff.

Without Butler’s physicality and shot creation, everything fell on Steph Curry’s shoulders. He responded with 20 points and nine assists, but turnovers piled up, and the supporting cast couldn’t pick up the slack. Brandin Podziemski was also out with illness, forcing Steve Kerr to dip into the deepest corners of his bench, with Jonathan Kuminga and Pat Spencer logging major minutes.

This version of the Warriors — thin, reactive, and entirely dependent on Curry — looks nothing like the group that made a late-season push. As the Rockets have shown, they’re young, physical, and ready to take the fight to Golden State. Green’s explosion was just the beginning.

Charles Barkley’s warning might just be the mantra for the rest of this series: Jalen Green can’t afford to be a roller coaster anymore. His Game 2 brilliance proved he’s capable of being the best player on the floor. But to knock off the Warriors, especially if Butler returns, Houston needs consistency. No more disappearing acts. Just controlled chaos and cold-blooded shot-making.