Jabari Smith on his defense: 'It's just getting easier for me'
“How much easier is it for you to play defense compared to last season knowing that your teammates are going to be in the right spots this year and the communication is a lot better?” Jabari Smith: “You trust it more. You trust when you say something, your teammate is going to listen and do it. You trust that when your teammate says something, it’s all a bounce-off effect. You’ve got to feel each other out on defense just how you do on offense. Just how they say you’ve got to learn your teammates on offense, you’ve got to learn them on defense too. And I feel like we’re doing that with veterans around us and people to help us with techniques and different stuff like that. It’s just getting easier for me.”
Source: Paul Terrazzano Jr. @ TalkBasket
Source: Paul Terrazzano Jr. @ TalkBasket
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
Adam Spolane @AdamSpolane
Jabari Smith Jr: “It’s a big boost. Defending champions, we know how good they are. We know how locked in we have to be on their actions and just how they play as a whole going into the game, so it’s a big plus that we can go in and execute and beat them.” – 11:12 PM
Jabari Smith Jr: “It’s a big boost. Defending champions, we know how good they are. We know how locked in we have to be on their actions and just how they play as a whole going into the game, so it’s a big plus that we can go in and execute and beat them.” – 11:12 PM
David Hardisty @clutchfans
Jabari Smith Jr. since being benched for the final 6 minutes of a game: 14.8 ppg on 52.8% FG, 40.9% 3P, 90.0% FT, 8.8 rebounds (5 games)
Jalen Green since being benched for the fourth quarter of a game: 29.5 ppg on 52.3% FG, 87.5% FT, 1.5 steals (2 games) pic.twitter.com/1NbjBa3ieu – 10:54 PM
Jabari Smith Jr. since being benched for the final 6 minutes of a game: 14.8 ppg on 52.8% FG, 40.9% 3P, 90.0% FT, 8.8 rebounds (5 games)
Jalen Green since being benched for the fourth quarter of a game: 29.5 ppg on 52.3% FG, 87.5% FT, 1.5 steals (2 games) pic.twitter.com/1NbjBa3ieu – 10:54 PM
Salman Ali @SalmanAliNBA
Glad Alperen Sengun and Jabari Smith are starting to put it together as a front court duo.
Much like Jalen Green and Sengun, their games compliment each other perfectly in theory.
No reason they can’t thrive together. pic.twitter.com/Fvzf57ft3J – 10:27 PM
Glad Alperen Sengun and Jabari Smith are starting to put it together as a front court duo.
Much like Jalen Green and Sengun, their games compliment each other perfectly in theory.
No reason they can’t thrive together. pic.twitter.com/Fvzf57ft3J – 10:27 PM
Jonathan Feigen @Jonathan_Feigen
Jabari Smith Jr. called for a foul on a blocked shot attempt on a Jokic drive. Rockets challenging. – 10:02 PM
Jabari Smith Jr. called for a foul on a blocked shot attempt on a Jokic drive. Rockets challenging. – 10:02 PM
Salman Ali @SalmanAliNBA
Alperen Sengun scores or assists on the first 6 points of the Rockets 3rd quarter.
1. No-look pass to Jabari Smith for 2.
2. Steal and coast to coast dunk.
3. One-legged jumper OVER NIKOLA JOKIC.
@ca_rockets: “This 3rd quarter is brought to you by Alperen Sengun.” pic.twitter.com/zqsLtegqE1 – 9:32 PM
Alperen Sengun scores or assists on the first 6 points of the Rockets 3rd quarter.
1. No-look pass to Jabari Smith for 2.
2. Steal and coast to coast dunk.
3. One-legged jumper OVER NIKOLA JOKIC.
@ca_rockets: “This 3rd quarter is brought to you by Alperen Sengun.” pic.twitter.com/zqsLtegqE1 – 9:32 PM
More on this storyline
I read that you worked with Kevin Durant this past offseason. What came out of that? Jabari Smith: “I came out here in LA playing in the Rico Hines runs. Before a pickup, he was working out and I just jumped in with him and his trainer. It was pretty good. He pays a lot of attention to detail. It was good for me to see with just how hard you got to work, how consistent you got to be and how important it is to focus on the little things.” -via SportsKeeda / November 19, 2023
What are examples of the little things that you noticed that KD did? Jabari Smith: “Shooting the same shot every time. If you see him shoot, every shot is the same. If you see how precise all of his movements are, he’s like a robot. Everything looks the same. So, I tried to mimic that.” -via SportsKeeda / November 19, 2023
Salman Ali: Jabari Smith points to Ime Udoka as one of the keys to the hot Rockets start (via @RunItBackFDTV): “He just don’t like to lose. That was his biggest thing. Play to win. Play for each other.” -via Twitter @SalmanAliNBA / November 14, 2023