Jabari Smith Jr. had his most efficient NBA summer league game to date and fellow rookie Tari Eason put up a third straight double-double, leading the Rockets to a 97-84 win (box score) over San Antonio. Houston (2-1) trailed by 18 late in Monday’s second quarter before outscoring the Spurs (0-3) by a whopping 31 points over the final two-plus quarters.
Smith scored 19 points on 6-of-12 shooting (50.0%) and 3-of-5 on 3-pointers (60.0%) in his 28 minutes, and he also contributed with strong defense, 9 rebounds, and 2 steals. Houston was +23 with the Auburn product on the court in Las Vegas, and -10 in the 12 minutes he sat.
Meanwhile, Eason led the Rockets in scoring and rebounding with 22 points and 11 rebounds, respectively, and he also added 2 steals and 2 blocks. The rookie forward from LSU was efficient for a second straight game, making 9-of-16 shots (56.3%) and 2-of-3 on 3-pointers (66.7%).
With Smith and Eason leading the way, the Rockets were dynamic defensively in the second half — as evidenced by San Antonio scoring just 30 points overall and a mere 11 during a decisive third quarter.
#Rockets Rookies Today:
Jabari Smith Jr.
19 PTS | 9 REB | 1 AST | 2 STL | 1 BLK
Tari Eason
22 PTS | 10 REB | 3 AST | 2 STL | 2 BLK
TyTy Washington
8 PTS | 2 REB | 4 AST | 3 STL pic.twitter.com/ywqauUP2FN
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) July 12, 2022
Daishen Nix had his second consecutive strong game as a floor general for the Rockets, scoring 18 points while dishing out 6 assists. Josh Christopher scored 18 points, as well, and took over the game late in the fourth quarter as Houston pulled away for the double-digit victory.
We’ll have more coverage in the days ahead as the Rockets gear up for their next summer league game on Thursday night versus Portland (schedule). For now, here’s a look at Monday’s highlights and immediate reaction by players, coaches, media members, and fans.
