Jabari Smith Jr. had a season-high 28 points with five 3-pointers, and the Houston Rockets never trailed in a 125-104 rout of the Los Angeles Clippers in their NBA Cup opener. The Rockets led comfortably throughout and used a big run in the third quarter to enter the fourth with a 19-point lead. Fred VanVleet added 18 points and 10 assists for Houston, and Dillon Brooks scored 17.
James Harden had 21 points for the Clippers, who lost their third straight after winning their previous four. He made three 3-pointers to move into a tie with Ray Allen (2,973) for the second-most career 3-pointers, behind Stephen Curry, who entered Friday with 3,779.
Despite their season-long winning streak, the Clippers struggled in their two games in Houston. They’ll need to regroup and find a way to get more production from their starting lineup while they await the return of Kawhi Leonard, who hasn’t played this season while rehabilitating his right knee.
The Rockets, on the other hand, continued their strong play, using a balanced attack to overwhelm the Clippers. Tari Eason and Amen Thompson again gave Houston a boost off the bench, combining for 29 points after scoring 18 each in Wednesday’s win.
Should Jabari Smith Jr. Be Replaced In The Rockets Starting Lineup?
This is the second time this season I have written about Jabari Smith, so it may seem like picking on him. I am not, but we’ve got to talk, TDS family. Jabari Smith Jr. has not performed exceptionally well. There is no metric that suggests otherwise.
Regardless of the metrics used, such as the traditional box score, advanced statistics, or the simple eye test, Jabari’s performance has not been exceptional. Jabari is a -5 in plus-minus this season, and that is thanks to a +15 and a +18 on the ledger against the Spurs and Grizzlies, respectively.
Jabari has a PER of 11.2, where the league average is 15. Jabari’s defensive rating is 109.9, which aligns with the league average of approximately 110. However, it’s important to keep this in mind as you watch him play. Does he look like a confident NBA player to you? When Jabari takes a wide-open shot, do you feel like it is more than likely that he is going to make it or miss?
Let me ask the same question I asked all of you about Dillon Brooks in my last piece. Does Jabari Smith Jr. significantly outperform his obvious replacements, Tari Eason or Amen Thompson?
Amen Thompson has a PER of 17.2, and Tari’s PER is 22.8. Amen is a +38 plus-minus this season. Tari has a plus-minus of +81, but forget all that and watch them play. When Tari and Amen Thompson are on the floor, you expect positive things to happen, and they do.
Maybe Jabari Smith Jr. is playing out of position with this team? Perhaps Alperen Sengun occupies the space on the floor where Jabari Smith Jr. would thrive? Maybe he needs to take more than nine shots a game to get into a rhythm?
I’m not sure if any of those factors are present, but I believe it would be beneficial to consider moving Jabari off the bench to see if he can thrive in that role. Play him more in the pick-and-roll and give him an opportunity to pick-and-pop and score from the midrange.
His defensive versatility allows him to guard multiple positions, and coming off the bench could be an advantage for him, as he may be guarding more bench players than starters. This could be a fantastic opportunity for Jabari to gain some more confidence. If there is one thing I do not see when I watch Jabari Smith Jr. play, it’s confidence.
I think Thompson or Eason would be a viable option to replace him in the starting lineup, and I think Jabari could still be a part of a strong second unit along with whichever of those two remain on the bench. Jabari could still see himself on the floor late in games, as Ime Udoka seems to like him in the role of the center in late situations. What could be the harm in giving it a try?
One could argue that the Rockets’ 8-4 record justifies not making changes. My argument is that, as demonstrated during the Rockets’ matchups with the Oklahoma City Thunder in both the preseason and regular season, there are different levels involved. This season, the Rockets offense, currently ranked 14th, has been in the middle of the pack, while their defense holds the fourth position. Any improvement in their offense could see this team take major leaps forward.
There is little doubt that more minutes for Thompson and Eason, who are both excellent offensively and defensively, would make this team better. I don’t think the Rockets should give up on Jabari Smith Jr., but they should try to find a way to put him in a better position to be more successful.
I like Jabari, and I want him to do well in a Houston Rockets uniform. I hate for him to be one of those draft picks who explodes for another team. He works hard, and I think it’s very evident that he cares. No one can accuse him of not playing hard, but when he plays… it looks hard. It’s not as if he has been playing this game his entire life. If he can identify his role and thrive in it, the possibilities for the Rockets are boundless. I believe that Role very well may be coming off the bench, playing the majority of his minutes backing up Alperen Sengun.