As Rockets clinch NBA Cup group, Jabari Smith Jr. shows two-way promise

Posted by author November 27, 2024 NBA

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In his last seven games, Jabari Smith Jr. is shooting 51.6% on 3-pointers, including three big makes in Tuesday’s NBA Cup group-clinching win at Minnesota.

Two weeks ago, in the early stages of the 2024-25 NBA season, third-year forward Jabari Smith Jr. was mired in a shooting slump for the Houston Rockets.

Now, entering Thanksgiving, things have turned around in a big way. In his last seven games, the No. 3 overall pick from the 2022 draft is averaging 14.7 points and 6.6 rebounds in 29.9 minutes while shooting 54.4% overall and 51.6% on 3-pointers.

Best of all, the Rockets are +14.7 as a team in those minutes, including a game-high figure of +30 in Tuesday’s thrilling victory in Minnesota.

During that win, Houston’s 21-year-old power forward connected on 8-of-9 shots overall (88.9%) and 3-of-4 from distance (75.0%). The Auburn product also provided versatile frontcourt defense when matched up against the likes of Julius Randle, Jaden McDaniels, and Rudy Gobert, with that trio combining to make just 15-of-37 shots (40.5%).

Overall, Smith finished with 19 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks against the Timberwolves, including an emphatic denial of Gobert at the rim.

As for shooting, in Smith’s first 12 games to start 2024-25, he had shot just 25.0% on his 3-pointers. But this recent hot stretch has bumped his season-long clip to a much healthier 34.5%, which isn’t far off the solid 36.3% total that he posted last season.

“Continue to trust his shot, be confident, and take the right ones,” head coach Ime Udoka said earlier this month of his advice for Smith. “They will eventually fall. He’s too good of a shooter to stay in a slump.”

With Smith in a starting role, Houston (13-6) is off to its best start this decade, and they’ve already clinched their NBA Cup group after that overtime win over the Timberwolves. They’ll look to keep that momentum going on Wednesday night in Philadelphia, where tipoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. Central.