With defenders focused on the Rockets’ big three of Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun, and Amen Thompson, young forward Jabari Smith Jr. took advantage in Houston’s 130-128 road victory (box score) over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night.
The Rockets are now 3-0 in preseason play, with one final exhibition looming Thursday night in Atlanta.
Entering his fourth NBA season, Smith was outstanding with 26 points and 5 rebounds while making 7-of-16 shots (43.8%) and 4-of-10 from 3-point range, and the Rockets were an incredible +23 in his 22 minutes.
Other statistics of note included:
In contrast to earlier preseason games, head coach Ime Udoka went with a “double big” lineup featuring Sengun and Adams, and it flourished — as evidenced by Adams’ outstanding plus-minus total.
With the regular-season opener coming next Tuesday in Oklahoma City versus a Thunder squad that often starts Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein, that could make a potential Sengun-Adams pairing even more enticing.
Factoring in previous exhibitions, regular-season games, and playoff games, Tuesday’s Pelicans-Rockets game was only the second time that Sengun and Adams had started together. The first was an April 4 victory over the Thunder near the end of last season.
Complete highlights and postgame interviews are available below.
More: ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins: Rockets will have NBA’s best offense this season
