HOUSTON — Rockets rookie Jabari Smith Jr. continued his memorable march with the biggest moment of his NBA career to date.
With his team trailing behind and time running out, Smith buried a deep 3-pointer with just 0.4 seconds left in Friday’s game, giving Houston a 114-112 box score win over the visiting New Orleans Pelicans . It excited the Toyota Center and propelled a young Rockets roster to their first three-game winning streak of the 2022-23 season.
New Orleans fell to 33-37 with the loss while Houston improved to 18-52 after their fifth win in eight games.
For Smith, who drilled a crucial 3-pointer in the closing seconds last Thursday in Indiana, it’s his second time in eight days to come through when it matters most to the Rockets.
This time Houston trailed by double digits for most of the second half, but in the fourth quarter they mounted a furious rally to get past Brandon Ingram (31 points, 6 assists) and the Pelicans.
Jalen Green led the Rockets with 25 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists on 10-of-20 shooting (50.0%). Those numbers included a long two-pointer in the last minute that put Houston on point and set the stage for Smith’s final-possession exploits.
Kevin Porter Jr. added 20 points for the Rockets on 5-of-12 shooting from 3-point range (41.7%), while Alperen Sengun had 17 points and 11 rebounds on 8-of-17 shooting (47.1%).
But it was the Smith (11 points, 8 rebounds) who came out as a hero, and for good reason. Here’s a look at how fans and players across the NBA were reacting in real-time to the 19-year-old, who was drafted 3rd overall in the 2022 first round and made a name for himself in the crunch period.
Jabari Smith Jr. hits the buzzer
Reacting to the exploits of Jabari Smith Jr
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Story originally appeared on Rockets Wire
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