Jabari Smith Jr. managed only 22 points over the first three games of the Houston Rockets’ four-game winning streak, but he’s optimistic that his recent performance will keep the momentum going as the Rockets visit the Chicago Bulls on Sunday.
Taking advice from coach Ime Udoka, Smith focused on other aspects of his game to alleviate his shooting slump. This led to an impressive 28-point outburst on Friday, accompanied by 11 rebounds and two steals. Smith’s effort included hitting 11 of 17 from the floor and 5 of 8 from beyond the arc in the Rockets’ 125-104 home win against the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Rockets thrived on a reactive mindset, dishing out 31 assists on 46 made field goals. Alperen Sengun recorded a triple-double with 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, while Fred VanVleet added 18 points and 10 assists in a double-double performance.
The Bulls and Rockets have split their last 10 meetings, though the Bulls have won three of the last four at the United Center. Chicago aims to end a busy week on a high note after sandwiching losses to the unbeaten Cleveland Cavaliers between a tight road victory over the New York Knicks.
Despite a strong showing from Coby White (29 points) and Nikola Vucevic (25 points), the Bulls couldn’t carry their momentum from the Knicks game into Friday’s 144-126 loss at Cleveland. After an Ayo Dosunmu dunk brought Chicago within four points with 2:55 remaining, the Cavaliers closed out the game with a 21-7 run.
Josh Giddey, acquired in an offseason trade that sent defensive standout Alex Caruso to Oklahoma City, was limited to 15 minutes due to some defensive lapses. Patrick Williams (17 points) and Zach LaVine stepped up in distribution, each contributing nine assists.
Chicago tallied 32 assists on 45 made field goals and shot 20-for-42 from deep. The Bulls have recorded at least 30 assists in seven games and hit 20 or more three-pointers three times this season.
