Jabari Smith Jr. Leads Rockets To Playoff Upset Over Nuggets
Jabari Smith Jr. delivered a career-high 38 points to propel the Houston Rockets to a stunning 112-108 Game 5 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Friday night, advancing the team to the Western Conference semifinals for the first time since 2020. The 21-year-old forward shot 14-of-22 from the field, including six three-pointers, while adding 12 rebounds in a breakout performance that has basketball fans buzzing.
The victory marks Houston's first playoff series win in six years and eliminates the defending champion Nuggets, who entered as heavy favorites. Smith's dominant fourth quarter—where he scored 14 points—drew comparisons to his father, former NBA player Jabari Smith Sr., with ESPN analysts calling it "the arrival of a new playoff star."
Social media erupted after the game, with #JabariSmithJr trending nationally as fans celebrated his clutch performance. The Auburn product, drafted third overall in 2022, had previously been criticized for inconsistent play but has emerged as Houston's second option behind Jalen Green this postseason.
Rockets coach Ime Udoka told reporters postgame: "This is why we drafted him. When the lights are brightest, he steps up." The team will face either the Mavericks or Clippers in the next round, with Game 1 scheduled for Tuesday in Houston.
Smith's jersey sales spiked 420% overnight on the NBA Store, according to Fanatics data. The performance comes exactly two years after his draft night, where analysts questioned whether Houston made the right choice passing on Paolo Banchero.
Nuggets star Nikola Jokić praised Smith after the loss: "He made tough shots all night. We had no answer." The upset continues a surprising NBA playoffs that has seen multiple lower seeds advance, including the Knicks and Thunder.
With the Rockets' young core now delivering in the postseason, basketball analysts are reassessing Houston's championship timeline. Smith's emergence as a two-way force could reshape the Western Conference hierarchy for years to come.
