multiple ball bounce after effects particular red giant

Now, if Houston as a whole was an elite or even an average defensive unit, Smith’s impact would stick out. That would slot him in the bottom quartile of defenders from last season - 16th percentile to be exact. Numbers alone won’t tell the story, especially when intertwined with the Rockets’ fiasco of a 2022-23 season.įor example, per Cleaning the Glass, the Rockets gave up nearly four more points with Smith on the floor versus when he was on the bench. (Stacy Revere / Getty Images)Įxamining Smith’s defensive performance as a rookie and parlaying that to future production takes myriad factors - advanced metrics, nuance and, importantly, context. Lucas wasn’t particularly pleased with how much Smith praised Antetokounmpo after their first meeting, so to prepare him mentally for the second go-around, Lucas opted for his favorite motivation tactic - reverse psychology. It was such a mismatch that at one point sparingly used center Usman Garuba was forced to step up to the challenge. That evening, Antetokounmpo schooled the rookie and steamrolled the Rockets en route to 44 points on just 21 shots in 28 minutes, with Smith incurring the brunt of the damage. It was a proud moment for Smith, going up against a player he had watched on television growing up, but he found himself in awe of the two-time MVP and NBA champion instead of focusing on the game plan. In a 125-105 October drubbing on the road, which coincided with Smith’s third game as a pro, he had been awarded the Giannis assignment. “He was fighting things that were out of his control.”

“Jabari had a hard time letting go of being the third pick,” Lucas said.

Lucas, who spent more time with him than anyone on the team, knew firsthand the negative effect the “chip on the shoulder” complex was having on the teenager. But more often than not, he couldn’t shake the sinking feeling or inconsistency that came with it. A natural competitor, Smith had tried to use draft night as fuel, and on some nights it worked. 3 pick still felt like a fresh wound to him. It had been nearly six months since Houston drafted Smith, but the disappointment of falling to the No. More importantly, rookie Jabari Smith Jr. Lucas and his unorthodox ways are well-documented within the organization, the 69-year-old was seen as a source of light and much-needed comedic relief at times, but there was no time for joking today.

Multiple ball bounce after effects particular red giant