Maybe Jaylen Green skipping his pregame nap was the key to a historic debut

Jalen Green torched the LA Clippers for 29 points in his Phoenix Suns debut on Nov. 6setting a franchise record with six three-pointers in his first game. The performance came after the 23-year-old full-back broke with his usual pre-match routine.

In a postgame interview, Green revealed that he did broke from his usual preparation because he was too excited to rest.

“Body-wise, I felt really good,” Green said, via Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic . “I usually take a nap before the game. I couldn’t even take a nap. I was so excited.”

That nervous energy translated into one of the best debut performances in Suns history. Only Charles Barkley scored more in his first game as a Sun with 37 points in 1992.

Phoenix’s newest addition made his debut and immediately showed why the franchise traded Kevin Durant to Houston for him. Green finished 10-of-20 from the field and helped erase a halftime deficit as the Suns cruised to a 115-102 victory.

His first basket set the tone early. Green drove down the baseline and completed the twist over Ivica Zubac in the opening quarter. After knocking down his first three with a side jump, he felt the rust shake off.

“I think after my first three, and then a little bit of going around, I was like, okay, yeah, let’s go,” he said. “Just to be out there, to see the ball go in, the amazing fans here. The energy in the arena from all my teammates, it’s just a great experience, a great atmosphere.”

Excitement peaked as Green headed toward the Phoenix crowd after draining his record sixth 3-pointer. The emotional celebration energized the building and spread to his teammates on the bench, creating exactly the cultural shift head coach Jordan Ott had hoped for.

Green made his debut after missing the first eight games with a hamstring injury that he re-aggravated during a preseason trip to China.

“It was frustrating. I just sat and watched,” he said. “But that’s part of the mental game right there. Just locking in with my coaches and understanding the game, talking to my teammates.”

The forced patience made his debut all the sweeter. Phoenix fans have been waiting to see what Green could bring alongside Devin Booker in the backcourt. His sleepless pre-tip excitement turned into a record-breaking night that confirmed blockbuster sales.