Jabari Smith Jr. continued a recent hot streak from 3-point range on Friday and helped the Houston Rockets post a win on the road over the Phoenix Suns.
Smith produced 17 points, six rebounds, one steal and one blocked shot in the 122-121 victory. He finished 7-of-12 from the field, including 3-of-5 from 3-point range, in 30 minutes of work as the Rockets won for the third time in five games.
The outing was the sixth straight game in which Smith hit at least three 3-pointers, the second-longest streak in history by a rookie. Teammate Jalen Green and former Rocket Armoni Brooks have the longest streak at seven games.
All Jabari Smith Jr. buckets!
The diversity in his offensive game is getting kinda scary. He’s only 19!
17 PTS | 6 REB | 1 STL | 1 BLK 🔥 pic.twitter.com/9Gnnqyhp6T
— V̷a̷t̷o̷r̷ (@Vator_H_Town) December 3, 2022
Smith averaged 10.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.1 blocks on 28.6% shooting from beyond the arc over his first 12 games of the season. Since then, Smith is averaging 14 points and 7.2 rebounds on 43.3% shooting from 3-point range in nine games.
The 20-year-old knew it was only a matter of time until he’d snap his cold spell. He dropped 21 points and nine rebounds on a season-high five 3s in a win over the Hawks on Nov. 25, which was likely his best all-around performance of the season.
Smith looks to be settling in on the court and is showcasing his ability as a shooter of late. He continues to contribute on both ends of the court and is emerging as one of the most productive rookies this season in Houston.
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