Smith Jr. offers hope amidst Rockets' lackluster start

Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. (1) celebrates a play against the Milwaukee Bucks in the second half at Toyota Center. Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports

'The Locksmith' offers hope amidst Rockets' lackluster start

By Danny Goebel | Last updated 12/12/22

The bottom of the Western Conference is a tough place to find hope, but fans of the 8-18 Rockets have reasons to celebrate after Houston's 97-92 victory over the Bucks on Sunday night. One reason is the play of rookie power forward Jabari Smith Jr. -- also known as "The Locksmith."

The box score is an imperfect way to evaluate the 19-year-old's performance against the Bucks.

Smith shot 1-for-9 from the field and scored six points. But he contributed on the defensive end, holding two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo to 16 points on 7-for-17 shooting. He also grabbed 10 rebounds.

When Smith was the primary defender, Antetokounmpo shot 4-for-13 with two turnovers, per USA Today via PBPStats.

The Rockets Twitter feed touted Smith's defensive prowess.

He's called the Locksmith for a reason

3 STL 1 BLK 10 REB pic.twitter.com/2ybGiPY8d4
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) December 12, 2022

Sunday's showing wasn't a one-off for the Auburn product.

After a loss to the Spurs on Dec. 8, Rockets head coach Stephen Silas told Sports Illustrated, "[Smith] is so unique because of the defensive component. I've never coached someone who came in as a rookie and was locked in on the defensive end."

Silas was on Cleveland's coaching staff during LeBron James' rookie season.

In addition to his defensive contributions, Smith has recently improved as a two-way player.

In December, Smith has shot 46.9% from the field and averaged 13.6 points. These are not empty stats. The Rockets are .500 in their past 10 games, with wins over Phoenix, Milwaukee and Philadelphia.

With more-than-reliable defense, improving offense and high praise from his head coach, the third overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft appears to be coming into his own.

If Smith continues his upward trajectory, his 6-foot-10, 220-pound frame may be the perfect foundation upon which Houston can build its future.

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