The young and rebuilding Houston Rockets didn’t get the win in Thursday’s 132-123 overtime loss at Indiana (box score). But given their situation, they may have gotten something more valuable.
Rookie forward Jabari Smith Jr., the No. 3 overall draft pick of the 2022 first round, scored a career-high 30 points to go with 12 rebounds. Most importantly, his tying 3-pointer in the last seconds of regulation kept the game going. That helped the Rockets (15-51) keep pace with heavily favored Indiana (30-37), even on the road.
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Jalen Green added 24 points and 4 assists for Houston, while KJ Martin had 23 points and 3 rebounds on 9-of-13 shooting (69.2%). Tyrese Haliburton led the Pacers with 29 points and 19 assists.
As expected, Houston was without its usual starting point guard in Kevin Porter Jr., who sat out with a left thigh contusion. His return timetable for future games is not yet clear.
Scroll on for highlights, analysis, and postgame interviews. Next up for Houston is Saturday night’s home game versus Chicago, which kicks off a six-game homestand at Toyota Center.
But when he was asked about Smith, Green was as enthusiastic as anything he has addressed before.
“Yes, yes, yes,” he said. “We know the real Jabari. He just showed it tonight. Hopefully, he can take that momentum tonight and carry it into the rest of these games.” #Rockets https://t.co/1LbiiYUfDw
— Chris A. White ???? (@fyrebear) March 10, 2023
Jabari Smith Jr.
If you don’t know, now you know.
— Vanessa Richardson (@SportsVanessa) March 10, 2023
Tonight showed the difference between having a star player and young players with potential. That’s the next step for the Rockets is developing are acquiring that star
— Lachard Binkley (@BinkleyHoops) March 10, 2023
Tonight looked like Jabari Smith Jr. at Auburn. Confident. Super competitive. Big-time shotmaker. Let’s hope this supercharges his confidence because this was an incredible shot. pic.twitter.com/s5v5Ydk3UX
— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) March 10, 2023
#Rockets Jabari Smith Jr. now has a career-high 30 points. His triple with seven seconds left in the 4th quarter has sent the game into overtime.
“At the end of the day, I’ve been a shooter my entire life and playing basketball my entire life.”https://t.co/pVNsNIwWMa
— Coty M. Davis (@CotyDavis_24) March 10, 2023
Rookie Jabari Smith Jr. had a career night, hitting a beautiful turnaround three to force OT, but the #Rockets ultimately fell in Indy. Jabari’s line on the night:
30 points (career high)
10-19 FG
3-5 3P
7-9 FT
12 rebounds
3 assists
2 steals
47 minutes (career high) pic.twitter.com/JlqysdBm0c— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) March 10, 2023
That’s the Jabari I saw hours of at Auburn.
— Salman Ali (@SalmanAliNBA) March 10, 2023
JABARI FOR THE TIE, AND IT SETS A NEW CAREER HIGH AT 30!
— Ben DuBose (@BenDuBose) March 10, 2023
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