Stephen Silas Not Losing Faith In Jabari Smith Jr. Amid Rookie Slump With Rockets

While Jabari Smith Jr. is going through a rookie slump, Houston Rockets coach Stephen Silas is not losing faith in his first-year prospect.

HOUSTON —  Jabari Smith Jr. returned to the Houston Rockets' lineup Monday night after missing the previous game due to the flu.

Smith had a forgettable contest against his 2022 draftmate Paolo Banchero, as he finished with three points amid the Rockets' 134-127 road win over the Orlando Magic Monday night.

Coach Stephen Silas credited Smith's subpar performance to his sickness. But Smith's play inside the Amway Center was a continuation of the slump that had plagued his previous four games.

"He seemed out of rhythm to me," Silas said. "He seemed like someone who had been sick, out of practice, and in bed. He was trying to do the right thing but missed open looks and fumbled the ball a few times."

Smith has averaged 4.3 points on 20.0 percent shooting from the field, 4.3 rebounds and 0.8 blocks. His play has been the opposite of the near-double-double performance that had fans believing the Rockets were on the verge of a Big 3 amid their win against the Utah Jazz on Oct. 26.    

But after helping Jalen Green withstand his rookie struggles last season, Silas is utilizing the same approach to guide Smith through his first-year trials.

"We've been here before with young guys," Silas said. "We know the recipe is hard work, competitiveness, and a want to get better. But that is part of being young. That's a part of being a rookie going through the ups and downs."

Green had a three-game stretch during his rookie campaign where he averaged 5.7 points on 15.0 percent shooting from the field and 11.8 percent from behind the arc.

After breaking out of his rookie struggles following a 17-point performance against the Portland Trail Blazers, Green finished the 2021-22 season averaging 20.3 points while connecting on 46.7 percent of his field goal attempts.

Before he fell into a first-year slump, Smith had a solid start to his rookie campaign. Smith averaged 14.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks through the first six games.

And Silas has faith that the Rockets will experience a resurgence in Smith's on-court production as the 2022-23 season continues.

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