Rockets' Jabari Smith: Leads Houston with 24 points
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Smith closed Thursday's 133-110 loss to the Warriors with 24 points (8-17 FG, 4-10 3Pt, 4-4 FT), three rebounds and two assists across 32 minutes.
Jalen Green had a rough night offensively Thursday, but Smith stepped his game up and notched a team-high 24 points -- his fifth straight game with 15-plus points and the second time he surpassed the 20-point plateau in that stretch. The second-year forward has scored at least 15 points in nine of his last 11 appearances, and he's settling in quite well as a reliable go-to scoring option for the Rockets in the post, especially with Alperen Sengun (ankle) still sidelined.
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Rockets' Jabari Smith: Sniffs double-double
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Smith notched 18 points (7-14 FG, 2-8 3Pt, 2-2 FT), eight rebounds and three assists across 36 minutes during Tuesday's 113-106 loss to Minnesota.
Smith flirted with a double-double for the second consecutive game, and while he came short of reaching that feat again, he posted a solid stat line due to his overall contributions. Smith has topped the 15-point mark in his last four games following a one-game absence due to a suspension, averaging 19.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.0 blocks per game in that span.
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Rockets' Jabari Smith: Plays well despite loss
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Smith posted 28 points (9-14 FG, 5-7 3Pt, 5-5 FT), seven rebounds, two assists and three blocks across 36 minutes during Sunday's 125-107 loss to the Mavericks.
The Rockets had a rough showing as their 11-game winning streak came to an end, but Smith was one of the few bright spots. In 14 March appearances, Smith posted averages of 14.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.9 blocks, 0.9 steals and 2.1 three-pointers.
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Rockets' Jabari Smith: Back in starting lineup
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Smith (suspension) is in the starting five for Wednesday's game versus the Thunder.
After missing Houston's previous contest due to a suspension, Smith will replace Jock Landale in the starting lineup Wednesday. Smith is averaging 12.5 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 28.0 minutes across his lat 10 appearances.
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Rockets' Jabari Smith: Suspended one game
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The NBA announced Sunday that Smith has received a one-game suspension due to his involvement in an altercation in the second quarter of Saturday's 147-119 win over the Jazz.
Smith will serve the ban during Monday's game against the Trail Blazers. The second-year big man was on the receiving end of a punch from Utah's Kris Dunn with 11:55 remaining in the second quarter, and both players were assessed technical fouls and ejected from the game. Because he was deemed to have initiated the altercation, Dunn received a two-game suspension to Smith's one. While Smith is out Monday, Jeff Green and Jock Landale should absorb most of the minutes at center.
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Rockets' Jabari Smith: Ejected vs. Utah
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Smith was ejected during the first half of Saturday's matchup against the Jazz after engaging in an altercation with Kris Dunn, Tony Jones of The Athletic reports.
Smith was ejected after engaging in a shoving battle with Dunn, though the circumstances of the altercation were not clear. Smith exits the game having posted five points (2-3 FG, 1-1 FT), two rebounds and two assists across nine minutes. Smith should remain in the starting unit when the Rockets take on the Trail Blazers on Monday.
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Rockets' Jabari Smith: Starts at center Tuesday
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Smith registered 15 points (5-11 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 4-4 FT), nine rebounds, one assist and two steals over 33 minutes during Tuesday's 103-101 victory over San Antonio.
Smith got the nod as the starting center Tuesday, replacing Alperen Sengun who is likely to miss the remainder of the season with multiple knee and ankle injuries. While the move to center is not set in stone for Smith, it will likely give him a small bump in production, especially on the defensive end. Assuming he stays healthy, Smith could end up being a valuable piece on a lot of winning fantasy teams.
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Rockets' Jabari Smith: Records double-double
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Smith contributed 10 points (3-10 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 2-2 FT), 11 rebounds, two assists and three steals over 34 minutes during Sunday's 112-104 victory over the Kings.
Smith didn't have a good shooting performance and was erratic on offense, but he salvaged his fantasy stat line by grabbing 11 rebounds and adding three steals to the cause, proving he can be a disruptive presence on the defensive end. Smith needs to be better offensively, as he's failed to surpass the 15-point mark in six of his last 10 games. During that 10-game stretch, the second-year forward has averaged 14.0 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals per game.
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Rockets' Jabari Smith: Leads from deep in defeat
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Smith contributed 19 points (6-11 FG, 4-6 3Pt, 3-4 FT), two rebounds, one assist and two blocks across 29 minutes during Wednesday's 122-116 loss to the Clippers.
Smith took the court Wednesday despite entering the contest questionable due to illness, going on to lead all Houston players in threes made while ending one point shy of the 20-point mark in a losing effort. Smith matched a season-high total in threes made, a feat he has now accomplished six times. He has recorded at least 19 points in 12 outings, including in four of his last 10 contests.
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Rockets' Jabari Smith: Will play Wednesday
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Smith (illness) is available for Wednesday's game against the Clippers, Lachard Binkley of TheDreamShake.com reports.
Smith was a late addition to the injury report but will ultimately play through an ailment. The second-year forward has scored at least 20 points four times over his last 12 appearances and is averaging 13.6 points (38.3 percent shooting) and 10.1 rebounds per game during that stretch.
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Rockets' Jabari Smith: Dealing with illness
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Smith is questionable for Wednesday's game against the Clippers due to an illness.
Smith finished Tuesday's win over San Antonio with just two points (1-6 FG) and three rebounds in 25 minutes, so he may have been a bit under the weather already. Jeff Green (knee) is also questionable, so Cam Whitmore, Amen Thompson and Jae'Sean Tate would be candidates for increased roles if Smith and Green are sidelined.
Smith contributed 11 points (3-11 FG, 1-6 3Pt, 4-4 FT), 16 rebounds, one block and one steal in 37 minutes during Thursday's 110-105 loss to the Suns.
Smith struggled from the field, but he compensated for the lack of scoring with another elite showing on the glass. This was his fourth consecutive double-double and fifth in February. Over his last 12 appearances, Smith is averaging 13.4 points, 9.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 0.9 steals per contest.
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Rockets' Jabari Smith: Big double-double in loss
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Smith notched 20 points (6-15 FG, 4-9 3Pt, 4-4 FT), 17 rebounds, four assists and one steal across 41 minutes during Sunday's 123-110 loss to the Thunder.
The 17 boards represented Smith's best performance on the glass since he ripped down 18 back on Dec. 6, also against the Thunder. The second-year forward has produced at least 20 points in four of the last eight games, but he's scored in single digits in three of them as he attempts to find some consistency on offense. Over that stretch, he's averaging 14.8 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.0 threes, 1.9 assists and 1.0 steals, but he's shooting only 39.0 percent from the floor and 32.0 percent from long distance.
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Rockets' Jabari Smith: Excellent in win over Phoenix
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Smith supplied 22 points (6-18 FG, 3-10 3Pt, 7-8 FT), 16 rebounds, three assists, one block and two steals over 41 minutes before fouling out of Friday's 114-110 win over the Suns.
Smith didn't have his best performance from an efficiency point of view, as he needed 18 shots to score 22 points. Other than that, he delivered a strong all-around effort while making his presence felt on both ends of the court. Smith's growth compared to his rookie year has been noticeable both in fantasy and real life, and his numbers in recent weeks are a strong reflection of that improvement. He has scored at least 20 points in three of his last seven games, a span in which he's averaging 14.0 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.0 steals per contest.
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Rockets' Jabari Smith: Available to play
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Smith (illness) is available to play in Saturday's game against the Hawks, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Smith was carrying a questionable tag prior to this update, but he made it through warmups without any setbacks. The Rockets will likely monitor him closely, but there's no word of any official restrictions.
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Rockets' Jabari Smith: Gets questionable tag
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Smith is considered questionable for Saturday's matchup with the Hawks due to an illness, Ben DuBose of USA Today reports.
Smith's status will presumably depend on how he is feeling closer to tipoff. If he is ultimately unable to play through it, Jae'Sean Tate (ankle) and Jeff Green would presumably be the prime beneficiaries, as Cam Whitmore (ankle) and Tari Eason (lower leg) have already been ruled out.
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Rockets' Jabari Smith: Double-double in loss Friday
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Smith provided 12 points (5-11 FG, 2-6 3Pt), 11 rebounds and two assists over 33 minutes during Friday's 107-104 loss to the Raptors.
Smith recorded his first double-double since Jan. 20, and while the second-year forward hasn't been consistent with his two-way play at times, it's undeniable that he's experienced an uptick in his numbers compared to his rookie campaign. He's averaging 13.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 0.7 blocks per contest as a sophomore.
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Rockets' Jabari Smith: Invisible in loss
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Smith closed with three points (1-4 FG, 1-2 3Pt), two rebounds and one steal across 19 minutes during Sunday's 111-90 loss to the Timberwolves.
This was the third dud in a row for Smith as the Rockets dropped their second game out of their past three. Smith has produced averages of 4.7 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.0 three-pointers on 26.3 percent shooting in that span, his worst stretch of the season by a mile.
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Rockets' Jabari Smith: Won't play Friday
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Smith (ankle) has been ruled out for Friday's game against the Hornets, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Smith will miss a third straight game due to a left ankle sprain, but Reggie Bullock (back) and Jae'Sean Tate (wrist) have been cleared to suit up. Jeff Green, Cam Whitmore and Amen Thompson are also candidates for increased roles in Smith's absence. Smith's next chance to suit up will come Saturday in Brooklyn.
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Rockets' Jabari Smith: Questionable for Friday
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Smith (ankle) is now listed as questionable for Friday's game versus the Hornets.
Smith is in danger of missing his third straight contest Friday due to a left ankle sprain. The second-year forward has now been deemed questionable for back-to-back games after initially being left off the injury report. Jeff Green and Cam Whitmore are candidates to receive extended minutes if Smith is ruled out again.
