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USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
In offseason work, Jabari Smith Jr. says he's developing as shot creator, ball handler
In offseason work, Jabari Smith Jr. says he's developing as shot creator, ball handler In his ongoing offseason work, 22-year-old Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. says he wants to build confidence in his ball handling and shot creation. Ahead of his fourth NBA season, Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. is citing ball-handling and shot creation as points of emphasis during the 2025 offseason. 'I want to have a big summer and come back next year looking like a whole different player,' Smith told Ari Alexander of KPRC, Houston's NBC affiliate. 'Confidence in my ball-handling, confidence in being able to create my own shot, and just having a better, stronger motor,' Smith says of what he'd like to gain from his offseason work. 'I just want to change, and come back different.' Smith has worked out this offseason with Aaron Miller, a skills trainer who has extensive experience working with NBA players. 'It's real technical, with a lot of attention to detail,' Smith said of Miller's workouts. 'I just like how detailed it is, and how down to the science it is.' Smith averaged 12.2 points (43.8% FG, 35.4% on 3-pointers) and 7.0 rebounds in 30.1 minutes per game last season. As the No. 3 overall draft pick from the NBA's 2022 first round, the 22-year-old Auburn product is eligible for a contract extension during a window from July 1, 2025, until the start of the 2025-26 regular season in late October. Should he not receive one, Smith will become a restricted free agent in the 2026 offseason, and his likely contract will depend in large part on his play during the upcoming season. To say the least, a production uptick after a positive offseason would help him establish more long-term value. During Houston's first-round series loss to Golden State a few weeks ago, Smith's average minutes total tumbled to just 20.4 (and only 12 in a decisive Game 7 loss to the Warriors). Among frontcourt players, minutes for Smith and Tari Eason were scaled down in the playoffs while Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun, and Steven Adams all played more. It appears that subpar finish to the 2024-25 season has provided fuel for Smith as he begins the 2025 offseason. 'We didn't finish the season how we wanted to, so I was ready to get back in the gym and work on what I need to work on,' Smith told Alexander. More: Rockets reportedly open to contract talks with Tari Eason, Jabari Smith Jr.
USA Today
19-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
After seven straight wins, ESPN lifts Rockets to No. 4 in NBA power rankings
After seven straight wins, ESPN lifts Rockets to No. 4 in NBA power rankings The Rockets (44-25) entered Wednesday with an NBA-leading streak of seven straight wins, and that lifted Houston to No. 4 in ESPN's weekly power rankings. With seven straight wins and a perfect 6-0 homestand, the Houston Rockets (44-25) have surged to No. 2 in the 2024-25 Western Conference standings. Understandably, that streak — which is the longest active one in the NBA — is also getting them more national recognition. In its weekly power rankings published each Wednesday, ESPN now ranks the Rockets at No. 4 in the league. They trail only the three teams with better records: the No. 1 Cleveland Cavaliers (56-12), No. 2 Oklahoma City Thunder (56-12), and No. 3 Boston Celtics (50-19). Regarding the Rockets, ESPN's Michael Wright writes in his ranking summary: The Rockets extended their winning streak to seven games Monday in dramatic fashion by rallying from a 25-point deficit against Philadelphia, tying the largest comeback win in franchise history. Budding talents Jabari Smith Jr. and Jalen Green dropped 30 points apiece as the team continues drawing significant contributions from Alperen Sengun, Tari Eason and Dillon Brooks. Despite the streak, Rockets coach Ime Udoka is well aware of his team's tendency to struggle against lesser teams, saying "something is obviously going wrong there." Five of Houston's next six games are against teams with losing records in the form of the Orlando Magic, Miami Heat, Atlanta Hawks, Utah Jazz, and Phoenix Suns. So, whether the Rockets can sustain their effort versus so-called "lesser teams" will soon be put to the test. Then again, of Houston's current seven-game winning streak, all have had losing records. So, while some of the final margins (particularly against the 76ers and Chicago Bulls in recent days) have been closer than desired, the results are hard to argue with. And that's why the Rockets are now viewed as one of the NBA's top-four teams, up from a spot at No. 9 one week ago. As for the methodology, ESPN says the weekly rankings are based on where members of its in-house panel (Wright, Tim Bontemps, Jamal Collier, Tim MacMahon, Dave McMenamin, Ohm Youngmisuk, and Chris Herring) think each team belongs this season. More: By the numbers: In wild comeback versus Sixers, several Rockets achieve career milestones
USA Today
16-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Six straight! Late Jalen Green takeover rallies Rockets (43-25) past Bulls, extends streak
Six straight! Late Jalen Green takeover rallies Rockets (43-25) past Bulls, extends streak Trailing with six minutes left, Jalen Green took over with 11 efficient points late as Houston rallied past Chicago to win its sixth straight game. The Rockets (43-25) are now at No. 2 in the West. HOUSTON -- The Rockets entered Saturday at 6-9 on night two of back-to-backs this season, and they were missing two of their most impactful two-way players in Amen Thompson (left ankle sprain) and Tari Eason (left lower leg injury management). Yet, led by a strong fourth-quarter effort from Jalen Green, the Rockets overcame a deficit with six minutes to play and rallied to a 117-114 home victory over the Chicago Bulls (box score). Houston (43-25) has now won six straight, overall, and is at to No. 2 in the Western Conference standings after Denver's late-night loss. The Rockets are now 25-10 at Toyota Center this season, and they are a perfect 5-0 on their current six-game homestand, which concludes Monday. Green had a game-high 28 points (44.0% FG, 38.5% on 3-pointers) and 6 rebounds for the Rockets, including 11 in the game's final six minutes on 4-of-6 shooting (66.7%). His offensive rebound and putback with 15 seconds left put the Rockets up multiple possessions and effectively secured the game. For the Rockets, other individual statistics of note included: Alperen Sengun: 24 points, 15 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks, 2 steals; 9-of-18 shooting (50.0%), 6-of-8 on free throws (75.0%) Fred VanVleet: 23 points, 7 assists; 8-of-20 shooting (40.0%), 5-of-14 on 3-pointers (35.7%) Jabari Smith Jr.: 12 points, 9 rebounds, 4-of-11 shooting (36.4% FG), 1-of-5 on 3-pointers (20.0%) Steven Adams: 4 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists; 2-of-4 shooting (50.0%) Coby White led the visiting Bulls with 23 points, though Houston held him to just 7-of-21 shooting (33.3%) and 1-of-7 on 3-pointers (14.3%). The Rockets own the league's No. 2 defense for the season, though they were short-handed Saturday without Thompson and Eason. In their absence, Smith and Dillon Brooks did much of the heavy lifting. It was another big rebounding night for Houston, which leads the NBA in that category this season. The Rockets out-rebounded the Bulls, 54-36. Both teams had potential playoff implications at stake. Houston remains a game back of Denver (44-24) for No. 2 in the West standings, while Chicago is at No. 10 in the East and just inside the play-in tournament field. The Bulls (28-39) had a four-game winning streak snapped. March 15 Rockets-Bulls Complete Highlights March 15 Postgame Reaction and Interviews What's Next Houston wraps up its six-game homestand at Toyota Center — its longest of the 2024-25 NBA season — with Monday's visit from Philadelphia (22-44). Tipoff of Rockets-76ers is at 7:00 p.m. Central. More: Jabari Smith Jr.: In winning streak, Rockets responding to pressure of 2025 playoff chase
New York Times
28-02-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Submit a question for Kelly Iko's Rockets mailbag
The Houston Rockets have won three of their last four games following the All-Star break, looking like a team with its eyes set on securing home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Over the final 23 games of the regular season, however, head coach Ime Udoka will have several things to sort through : Solidifying his rotation ahead of the postseason, reintegrating Jabari Smith Jr. after his return from a fractured left hand, and most importantly, getting reacclimated to having veteran point guard Fred VanVleet, who missed 11 games with an ankle injury. As a result, questions remain about the current roster. What is Houston's best starting lineup? What have we learned about the team while multiple starters have been away? Does Alperen Şengün fully embrace the All-Star mentality? Can Jalen Green be a consistent playmaker? And much more. Have a Rockets-related question? Let us know in the comment section below.
USA Today
13-02-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Prediction and betting odds for Feb. 13, Golden State Warriors at Houston Rockets
To conclude this week's three-game homestand at Toyota Center, the Houston Rockets will host the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night. Both teams will then have more than a week off until the 2024-25 schedule resumes on Friday, Feb. 21. For both Golden State (27-27) and Houston (34-20), Thursday is the second game of a back-to-back, though with limited travel in-between. The Rockets defeated Phoenix in the same building on Wednesday, while the Warriors had a short postgame flight after losing at nearby Dallas. Due to the back-to-back, both teams could have maintenance absences and/or minutes restrictions in addition to the usual injuries. Thus, it could be something of a ragged and unpredictable game, with players further down the bench perhaps getting an opportunity. For the Warriors and Rockets, it's the first time they've played since Houston's thrilling Emirates NBA Cup 2024 quarterfinal victory in mid-December. That snapped what had been a 15-game winning streak by Golden State in head-to-head matchups. Projected Lineups, Broadcast Info Warriors at Rockets Betting Odds: All NBA Odds via BetMGM: Point spread: Rockets -2.5 Money line: Rockets -145 / Warriors +120 Rockets -145 / Warriors +120 Over-under: 221.5 Warriors at Rockets Injury Updates: Rockets: Jabari Smith Jr., out, left metacarpal fracture Rockets: Fred VanVleet, out, right ankle strain Rockets: Tari Eason, out, left lower leg injury management Rockets: Cody Zeller, out, not with team Rockets: Jack McVeigh, out, G League (two-way) Warriors: Jonathan Kuminga, out, right ankle sprain Prediction and Picks for Warriors at Rockets: Led by Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green, Golden State's core is substantially older than the one in Houston. That should give the Rockets an energy advantage on the second night of a back-to-back. That said, since adding Butler via a trade earlier this month, the Warriors are 2-1 while averaging over 121 points per game. Between tired veteran legs and a supercharged offense, that could make the "over" especially tempting. Best Bet: Over 221.5 points (-105) Favorite Prop: Stephen Curry, under 25.5 points (-115) Prediction: 114-110, Rockets More:Rockets coach Ime Udoka sees potential Steven Adams-Alperen Sengun lineups as situational
