Jabari Smith Jr. Finding His Groove Again, Just in Time for the Rockets’ Playoff Push
HOUSTON - The Rockets are rolling, and Jabari Smith Jr. is a big reason why.
In Saturday night’s 111-107 win over the Mavericks, the fourth-year forward delivered another strong performance, finishing with 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks on an efficient 7-of-13 shooting night. He knocked down 3 of his 5 attempts from deep, and more importantly, looked confident doing it.
This wasn’t just a hot night-it’s part of a growing trend. After hitting a rough patch earlier in January, Smith has come out the other side looking more like the player Houston hoped he’d become. And right now, his resurgence is arriving at the perfect time for a Rockets team that’s firmly in the playoff mix.
Head coach Ime Udoka summed it up postgame: “Amen [Thompson] and Jabari, having some good scoring nights when other guys were a little bit off, was needed.”
Thompson led the Rockets with 21 points and dished out 9 assists without committing a single turnover. That’s the kind of poise you want from your young lead guard. But it was the combined 40 points from Thompson and Smith that helped Houston overcome a tough shooting night from Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun, who together managed just 27 points on 12-of-37 from the field.
Jabari’s Rollercoaster Season
To understand how far Smith has come in just a few weeks, you have to look at the full arc of his season so far. Through the first 30 games-from late October through New Year’s Day-he was solid: 15.8 points, 6.9 boards, nearly 2 assists, and decent shooting splits (46.1% from the field, 38.3% from three). Nothing flashy, but steady.
Then came the slump.
Over the next eight games in early January, Smith’s shooting cratered. He averaged just 12 points per game and hit only 30.6% of his shots, including a rough 21.2% from beyond the arc.
His true shooting percentage dropped to 39.1%. For a team trying to stay in the thick of the Western Conference race, that kind of drop-off from a key starter is hard to hide.
But since Jan. 18? A different story.
In his last eight games, Smith is back to averaging over 15 points with improved efficiency-46.4% from the field and 37.7% from deep. He’s also upped his impact on the defensive end with 1.5 blocks per game, and his true shooting percentage has rebounded to 58.9%. The Rockets have gone 6-2 during that stretch, including a gritty overtime loss in Philadelphia where Smith had an off night from deep (1-of-10), but still made his presence felt.
The Rockets’ X-Factor
When Smith is clicking, the Rockets look like a much more complete team. His ability to stretch the floor, rebound, and switch defensively gives Udoka flexibility-especially now that veteran center Steven Adams is done for the season following ankle surgery.
Late in the win over Dallas, Udoka turned to Smith at the five, a move that paid off. “Jabari was a big part of that with his versatility,” Udoka said. “Switching and doing some things, and then late in the game being able to put him at the five.”
That kind of lineup versatility could be a difference-maker down the stretch. With Adams out, the Rockets will need Smith to hold his own in small-ball lineups. So far, he’s proving up to the task.
Confidence Is Key
What’s driving Smith’s bounce-back? According to him, it’s the support system around him.
“When you’ve got so many people in your ear and it’s all positive, you have no choice but to get out of a shooting slump or a bad stretch,” he said after dropping a season-high 32 points in a Jan. 18 win over the Pelicans.
“Nobody beat me up about it. Nobody is telling me to stop shooting or turn something down.
Everybody is encouraging me to shoot more, so it’s been great. Everybody has been helping me, from top to bottom.”
That kind of encouragement goes a long way, especially for a young player still finding his rhythm. Smith said he’s no longer fixated on whether the shots fall or not.
“They’re just telling me that I can impact the game in different ways. So I’m not thinking about it so much, and just letting it fly.”
Looking Ahead
Houston now sits at 30-17, good for fourth in the West, and winners of seven of their last nine. They’ll look to keep that momentum going Monday night on the road against Indiana.
Tip-off is set for 6:00 p.m. Central. The game will be broadcast regionally on Space City Home Network and nationally on NBA League Pass.
If Jabari Smith Jr. keeps playing like this, the Rockets might not just be a playoff team-they could be a problem.