Jabari Smith Jr. grabs nine rebounds vs. Phoenix

After a quiet first half, Smith shot 4-of-6 from the field in the second half, scoring 10 points. Since scoring 52 points in the Rockets’ final two games of October, he’s cooled off offensively. However, Smith has reached double figures in all four of Houston’s games this month and continues to outperform his ADP (92) by a safe distance.

Smith finished with his second double-double of the season, but his overall stat line was a bit disappointing. He did not record an assist, steal or blocked shot, the first time that has happened this season. The good news for fantasy managers is that this has not been the norm for Smith, whose current value has exceeded his ADP by a significant margin.

Smith matched his season high with 30 points, recording the seventh 30-point game of his NBA career on Saturday. Against the Thunder, he shot 6-of-12 from three, helping the Rockets compensate for Fred VanVleet’s absence and a relatively quiet night from Kevin Durant (14/3/4/1/3). Smith has gotten off to an excellent start, leaving some to decide whether to “sell high” or bet he continues to play this well. The Rockets play three games next week, starting with the Celtics on Monday.

Jabari Smith really started to emerge last year in the playoffs and he has continued his play into his season. He’s in the first year of his 5 year/122M contract extension that he signed in 2025. Despite being in the league for five years, he’s only 23 years old which is the same age as some rookies this year. While it was a slow start into his career, he’s improved every year to get where he is now.

Smith has gotten off to a strong start to the year, headlined by a 30-point performance in the season opener. This was his first double-double of the year and a new season high for assists for Smith, and he only has one subpar outing this season, which came against the Spurs. He was held to seven points, though he only took five shots and added two steals and two blocks. Smith has been fantastic this year, which has been a big reason for Houston’s early success.

Smith did his best to shoulder a heavier workload in the aftermath of Kevin Durant’s ankle injury, but the fourth-year forward’s efficiency slipped against the Lakers. Shooting 3-of-11 from the field in Game 6, Smith had just one game in which he shot 50 percent or better from the field. He did grab 12 rebounds on Friday, recording his second double-double of the series, but this was a disappointing end to the 2025-26 season. Regarding Smith’s fantasy prospects for next season, he has top-100 potential, but the ceiling is somewhat limited with Kevin Durant in the fold.

No team has ever won a best-of-7 series after losing the first three games, but the Rockets are halfway to making history. After shooting 4-of-15 from the field in Game 4, Smith was better in Game 5. The 6-foot-10 forward led the Rockets in scoring on Wednesday, shooting 4-of-9 from beyond the arc, and his stat line lacked only a steal. The series returns to Houston for Game 6 on Friday, and the Rockets should feel confident about their chances of forcing a Game 7.

Smith finished Saturday’s defeat with playoff career-highs in points and rebounds, recording his first postseason double-double. He shot 3-of-9 from beyond the arc in Game 1, with the percentage being a few points lower than his mark during the regular season (36.3 percent). Smith is one of many Rockets who benefit from Kevin Durant’s presence on the floor; the veteran scorer did not play on Saturday due to a right knee contusion. If Durant can return for Tuesday’s Game 2, it would be unsurprising if Smith offered a more efficient stat line.

The Rockets don’t have playoff seeding to play for, as Friday’s loss to the Timberwolves locked them into the No. 5 seed in the West. Thompson and Smith will get Sunday night off, which should mean more playing time for Aaron Holiday and Jae’Sean Tate.

Smith couldn’t find his rhythm from beyond the arc but still managed to hover around the 20-point mark on Thursday. His scoring came from the charity stripe and mostly inside the paint. The fourth-year forward has played his role well this year and continues to put up some of his best numbers alongside Kevin Durant as a full-time starter. With two games left on the schedule, the Rockets have a chance to extend their eight-game winning streak while trying to land homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs.