Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Ben DuBose

Rockets Twitter reacts as Jabari Smith Jr. beats Pelicans at buzzer

Jabari Smith Jr Jabari Smith Rockets Pelicans Jalen Green Kelly Iko Kevin Porter Jr Adam Spolane Alperen Sengun Ben DuBose

HOUSTON — Rockets rookie Jabari Smith Jr. continued his memorable March with the biggest moment of his NBA career so far.

With his team down one and time running out, Smith buried a deep 3-pointer with only 0.4 seconds left in Friday’s game, giving Houston a 114-112 victory (box score) over the visiting New Orleans Pelicans. It sent Toyota Center into a frenzy and lifted a young Rockets squad to its first three-game winning streak of the 2022-23 season.

Buy Rockets Tickets

New Orleans fell to 33-37 with the loss, while Houston improved to 18-52 following its fifth win in eight games.

For Smith, who drilled a game-tying 3-pointer in the closing seconds last Thursday in Indiana, it’s his second time in eight days to come through when it mattered most for the Rockets.

This time, Houston trailed by double digits for much of second half, but they staged a furious rally in the fourth quarter to climb 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 final minute, which brought Houston within a point and set the stage for Smith’s heroics on the final possession.

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 went out as a hero, and for good reason. Here’s a look at how fans and players across the NBA reacted in real-time to the 19-year-old — drafted at No. 3 overall in the 2022 first round — making a name for himself in crunch time.

Jabari Smith Jr. beats the buzzer

Reaction to Jabari Smith Jr.’s heroics

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
From frozen to feast, how to safely defrost your Thanksgiving turkey
Experts have recommended three different methods to defrost your turkey for Thanksgiving dinner
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
“One of the most important guitars in rock and roll history”: George Harrison’s Futurama smashes auction estimate and sets a new record with staggering $1.27 million sale
The oddball electric – which was used during the Beatles’ early years, and saw action in over 300 historic shows – becomes the most expensive electric guitar formerly owned by a Beatle to sell at auction
Guitar World
Guitar World
Keke Palmer: I'm living life on my own terms
Keke Palmer has revealed that she feels proud to be living life "on [her] own terms".
BANG Premier
BANG Premier
Crypto entrepreneur Justin Sun buys $6 million banana—and plans to eat it unless Elon Musk wants to send it to space
Sun outbid six others for the iconic work.
Fortune
Fortune
Paul Simon names the fan-favorite song he’ll never perform again
The folk rock icon said his hearing loss has limited the songs he can perform live
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
“We’re doing my first-ever gig with Nirvana on SNL. What I didn’t know was there was a discussion about my guitar like, ‘No, we can’t let him on stage’”: Pat Smear’s first Nirvana appearance almost didn’t happen – because of his guitar
Smear had bought a 1982 Charvel when he was playing with Nina Hagen – but the guitar didn't quite impress the Nirvana troupe
Guitar World
Guitar World
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play