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Jabari Smith Jr. builds shooting momentum as Nets blast Rockets

ben dubose
·3 min read

With shooting percentages of below 40% from the field and under 30% from 3-point range, 2022-23 hasn’t been the rookie season that Jabari Smith Jr. expected with the Houston Rockets. After all, shooting was supposedly one of the 19-year-old’s strengths when he was drafted at No. 3 overall in the 2022 first round out of Auburn.

There are, however, some positive signs of late. In Houston’s 118-96 loss (box score) on Tuesday to Brooklyn, Smith had 15 points and 8 rebounds on 6-of-13 shooting (46.7%) and 3-of-7 on 3-pointers (42.9%). Over his last three games, the 6-foot-11 forward is shooting 53.8% overall and 41.7% on 3-pointers, and that has led to better results for the rebuilding Rockets (15-50), who are 2-1 over that run.

It wasn’t nearly enough to beat the Nets (37-28), who were led by yet another strong game from Mikal Bridges. The versatile wing acquired from Phoenix in the Kevin Durant trade scored a game-high 30 points on 9-of-20 shooting (45.0%) and 4-of-10 on 3-pointers (40.0%).

But within the appropriate context, there were positive signs for Smith and the rest of a young Rockets group. Big man Alperen Sengun added 16 points and 12 rebounds on 6-of-12 shooting (50.0%), while Jalen Green scored a team-high 25 points on 9-of-21 shooting (42.9%).

Scroll on for highlights, analysis, and postgame interviews. Next up for Houston is Thursday night’s road game at Indiana, with the tip from Gainbridge Fieldhouse set for 6 p.m. Central.

Highlights

Analysis and Interviews

Story originally appeared on Rockets Wire