Rockets Game 4 Notebook: The Dawn Of A New Big 3?

The trio of Jalen Green, Kevin Porter Jr., and Jabari Smith Jr. led the Houston Rockets to their first victory of the season Monday night against the Jazz.

HOUSTON — Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. have raved about becoming one of the top backcourts in the league. And Monday night, their vision came to fruition. 

Green and Porter scored a combined 51 points on 48 percent shooting from the field against the Utah Jazz. While the potential of Houston's backcourt was on full display, Jabari Smith Jr. gave the Rockets an additional push en route to their first victory of the 2022-23 campaign.

"Scoot [Kevin Porter Jr.] got things going early in the first quarter," Green said. "Once he did that, that opened the door for me a lot more. But once we both got things going, it opened the door for Jabari."

Smith recorded 21 points, nine rebounds and three blocks to help the Rockets take a 114-108 victory over the Jazz inside the Toyota Center. 

The most impressive moment for Smith came during the final 24 seconds of the fourth quarter. Smith drilled four consecutive clutch free throws to secure a victory for the Rockets. 

His ability to drain free throws at the most critical moments of the game as a rookie is a confidence booster. But more importantly, Smith's performance and late-game heroics at the free-throw line have instilled trust within the Rockets' coaching staff and teammates.

While crediting the rookie prospect for having "one of the best shots on the team," Porter said everyone trusted Smith to connect on all four free throw attempts.

"Getting the first win and not putting too much pressure on myself," Smith said. "Coach trusted me to get the ball and make the free throws. I had to believe in myself and knock them down."

Daishen Nix is slowly coming along

Second-year prospect Daishen Nix had his most impactful game as a member of the Rockets.

The box score shows Nix finishing the game with seven points, two assists and a block in the win over the Jazz. But Nix's on-court attributes gave Houston a secondary-floor general to control the pace of the game while Green, Porter and Eric Gordon were sidelined.

His play resulted in Coach Stephen Silas trusting Nix to continue orchestrating the offense late in the final period.

"That fourth quarter, substitution wised, was tough because I had so many guys out," Silas said. "Daishen solidified it on both ends by making plays. He is so physical when he gets into the paint, Daishen can make a pass for somebody else or can finish. He also has a way of getting us organized as well."

The heated altercation between Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr.

Green and Smith were involved in a hectic altercation late in the fourth quarter, which resulted in Silas, Porter and assistant coach John Lucas II getting between the two players. 

After the game, both players described the moment as "nothing" — just a pair of teammates trying to secure their first win of the season. 

"We were just competing," Smith said. "We were ironing some things out about which coverage we were going to run."  

Quick Hits:

- Tari Eason fell one rebound short of the first double-double of his career with 11 points and nine rebounds off the bench. He also had three steals in the win.

- The Rockets held the Jazz to a season-low 108 points. Through the first three games of the season, Utah had averaged a season-high 125.7 points per game.

- Smith took the helm as the Rockets starting center with Burno Fernando (left knee soreness) and Alperen Sengun (illness) out against the Jazz. Silas inserted K.J. Martin into the starting lineup. He said he wanted to see Smith play center in hopes of creating more pick-and-pop opportunities for the rookie. 

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You can follow Coty M. Davis on Twitter at @CotyDavis_24

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