Rockets vs. Pacers Takeaways: Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr. Make For Dynamic Duo

Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr. combined for 54 points in the Houston Rockets' 134-125 overtime loss to the Pacers.

The Houston Rockets battled back from an early 18-point deficit but sustained a 134-125 loss to the Indiana Pacers. Here are three takeaways from the Rockets' loss inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse Thursday night.

Houston continues to struggle to defend and shoot the 3-ball:

When the Rockets won their two-game mini-series against the San Antonio Spurs, coach Stephen Silas was proud of their defensive performance. It appeared Houston finally understood the defensive concepts of switching. But for the second consecutive game, Houston's defense took a step back.

The Pacers began the night by connecting on five 3-point field goals within the first eight minutes. And by the end, Indiana surpassed its season average for made 3-pointers. 

The Pacers recorded 18 triples on 40.0 percent shooting in the win. Indiana came into the game averaging 13.9 makes on 36.4 percent shooting. Buddy Hield led all players in 3-pointers made. He shot 5-for-10 en route to a 17-point performance.

Houston connected on six out of their 17 attempts from behind the arc. Jabari Smith Jr. led the Rockets with three.

"We have to figure out a way to shoot more 3's," Silas said. "They made more than we shot — that's hard to overcome. But we were 27-for-52 at the rim. We are getting there. We are fighting."

The one-two punch of Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr.:

Jabari Smith Jr. led the Rockets' comeback attempt with a career-best 30 points. But Smith wasn't alone with the help he received from Jalen Green.

Green finished with 24 points on 34.8 percent shooting and had a solid outing on the defensive end while contesting shots en route to recording a block and a steal.

"I felt like I had to [pick it up on the defensive end]," Green said. "I had a couple of slip-ups. But overall, I felt like I did a pretty good job. I wasn't scoring the ball like I wanted to. So, I was like, 'I got to bring energy and lock-up for my guys.'"

The Green-Smith pairing was at its best during the third quarter, where the duo scored 22 of the Rockets' 33 points. They later accounted for 12 of Houston's 15 points in the final five minutes of regulation.

The pipe dream for Myles Turner:

Tyrese Haliburton was the best player on the floor for the Pacers with 29 points and 19 assists. But in the eyes of Houston's management, it had to be Myles Turner.

Before fouling out toward the end of regulation, Turner was a force in the middle on both ends. He scored 21 points on 8-for-15 shooting and recorded seven rebounds. On defense, Turner came one block short of tying a career-high with seven rejections.

Turner's play illustrated the long fascination the Rockets have had for him. He has always been a trade target. But for one reason or another, the Rockets would fall short of landing the big man.

A source told Inside the Rockets that Houston had targeted Turner ahead of the trade deadline in February. But Turner's in-season contract extension and the Pacers' high asking price ended the Rockets pursuit.

Best performance:

Could it have been anyone else not named Jabari Smith Jr.? 

A career night of 30 points on 10-for-19 shooting from the field, 3-for-5 from behind the arc. Ten rebounds, which marked his 10th career double-double. And arguably the clutches shot of the season by sending the game into overtime by drilling a 3-pointer over the top of Pacers' Aaron Nesmith. 

Worst performance:

Daishen Nix did not have a good game against the Pacers. He started in place of Kevin Porter Jr. and was the least productive player for Houston. He was the only starter who did not score in double-figures with six points on 3-for-12 shooting. Nix did help the Rockets on the boards by recording seven rebounds before fouling out. 

Final Words:

"It's progress. It's fight. It's getting down by a bunch of points. Finding line-ups that haven't played much. Jabari hit three 3's tonight and the one that sent the game into overtime. Yes, this is progress. With 17 games to go, these guys are fighting really hard."

---

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

Want the latest in news and insider information on the Houston Rockets? Click here

Follow Inside the Rockets on Facebook here

Follow Inside the Rockets on Twitter @InsideRocketsFN

Want even more Houston Rockets news? Check out the SI.com team page here