Jabari Smith Just Did Something He Hasn't Done in Two Seasons

The Houston Rockets came into the season knowing expectations were at a five-year high after acquiring one of the greatest players of all time, Kevin Durant. The Houston Rockets were coming off their best season since 2020. The Rockets won 52 games and made their first playoff appearance in five seasons. However, the Rockets struggled in their first-round loss to the Golden State Warriors.

Most of the Rockets struggled throughout the series, but a few players, like Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams, played well and were a big reason it went to seven games. Another player who played well was Jabari Smith Jr. Smith had an up-and-down season, suffered his first major injury, and came off the bench for the first time in his career.

Smith was one of the few Rockets who consistently made shots in the playoffs. Smith averaged only 7.4 points but shot 50 percent from the field and 45.5 percent from beyond the arc. Smith played only 20.4 minutes a game in the seven-game series, but his playoff performance could be a springboard into his fourth season.

Smith started off the 2025-2026 season strong, averaging career highs across the board in the first two months of the season, but eventually hit a rough patch of the season like most of the Rockets as the team sputtered in December and some of January, playing about .500 ball during that time with some bad losses in that two-month stretch.

Smith was the Rocket that probably struggled the most during that time frame, as he had the worst shooting stretch of his career. From December to mid-January, Smith shot only 41.1 percent from the field and only 31.7 percent from downtown. Smith started turning it around after that and has played some of the best basketball of his career, especially over the last 15 games.

In the Rockets' win over the hapless Utah Jazz, Smith had one of his best games of the season, finishing with 31 points in the blowout win. With the 31 points, Smith did something he hasn't done in the last two seasons.

Jabari Smith Accomplished Something He Hasn’t Done in the Last Two Seasons

In Smith's last two games, he has scored a combined 52 points, shooting 20-37 from the field and 10-19 from 3-point range. Smith isnt just excelling on the offensive end. Smith is playing the best defense of his career, averaging a career-high in blocks and steals, and is the Rockets' best rim protector.

Smith is the perfect complement to superstar players. He doesn't need plays run for him, doesn't complain, and does all the dirt work on the defensive end of the court. For the Rockets to take that next step this season, Smith will need to continue to play at the level he has in the last 15 games.