Rockets' Josh Smith Experiment Starts Out Right and Other Friday NBA Takeaways
Josh Smith's debut with the Houston Rockets was an unequivocal success, and he actually had a lot to do with it. Seeing his first action since the Detroit Pistons waived him earlier this week, the 29-year-old tallied 21 points, eight rebounds and three assists in Friday night's 117-111 overtime win against the 21-8 Memphis Grizzlies (who've now lost four consecutive games).
Currently the league's most prolific scorer with 27.2 points per contest, two-time All-Star James Harden led the way with 32 points, eight rebounds, 10 assists and three blocks. And while Houston also got double-figure scoring from Trevor Ariza, Patrick Beverley and Corey Brewer, Smith's contributions were the big story.
On a night when center Dwight Howard posted a season-worst six points, Smith rose to the occasion and topped 20 points for just the fourth time this season.
Coming off the worst shooting campaign of his career (41.9 percent from the field)—and his first in Detroit—the 11th-year veteran got off to an even more troubling start this season. He made just 39.1 percent of his field-goal attempts in 28 appearances with the Pistons this season, averaging a modest 13.1 points in the process.
Some have naturally speculated that he won't do much better with the Rockets, even arguing that he's a particularly poor fit for head coach Kevin McHale's system.
ESPN.com's Ryan Feldman and Ryan Grace recently noted, "The Rockets are the definition of an 'analytical team'—they shoot by far the fewest mid-range shots and the most three-pointers. Smith loves the mid-range jumper and is a historically poor three-point shooter. Those traits don’t bode well for the Rockets' offensive philosophy."
One game isn't much of a sample size, but the early returns offer reason for hope. It may have taken Smith a team-high 21 field-goal attempts to get his points, but Houston was plus-15 in point differential when he was on the floor.
His ability to offer some rim protection should yield some dividends as well.
Even with Howard patrolling the middle, Houston allows opponents 42.9 points in the paint per contest—the league's 20th-best mark, according to TeamRankings.com. Given the defensive impact Ariza and Beverley regularly make on the perimeter, this rotation suddenly boasts several quality stoppers—especially when considering Brewer's addition to the bench earlier this month.
Smith may not be the smoothest of long-range shooters, but a little effort can turn his size and athleticism into a lethal two-way weapon. The opportunity to again vie for postseason success just might elicit some of that motivation.
It's already cultivating the right kind of priorities.
"Right now I just want to concern myself with what's in front of me, and that's the 60 games and the postseason," Smith told reporters after a Friday shootaround. "I really can't think about free agency. I want to go into this year as me having a fresh start and me being able to try to do something special with a great team."
Legitimate shots at championship glory are few and far between, but the Rockets are now 21-7 and just two games removed from the Western Conference's top-seeded Golden State Warriors. It's the kind of situation that should bring out the best in Smith, potentially getting his wayward career back on track in no time at all.
Around the Association
Dirk Scales All-Time Scoring List, Rondo Posts Season High
Though he was limited to just 24 minutes by a stomach illness, 36-year-old forward Dirk Nowitzki surpassed Elvin Hayes to become the eighth-leading scorer in league history with a long two-pointer to start the third quarter. He finished the game with 27,322 points, the most ever by a foreign player.
But it was Rajon Rondo’s season-high 21 points, eight rebounds and seven assists that led the way in the Dallas Mavericks’ 102-98 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. It was just his fourth game with the Mavs after the organization acquired him from the Boston Celtics via trade earlier this month.
Though the win halts Dallas’ two-game losing streak, this team is clearly still evolving. One would have expected a more convincing outing against a 9-21 team missing Kobe Bryant for a third consecutive game on account of soreness and fatigue. In time, however, the Mavericks’ new-look lineup may prove absolutely devastating.
Faried Goes into Serious Beast Mode
Any 20-20 game is cause for celebration, but Denver Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried put up the nastiest of lines in Friday’s 106-102 win against the Minnesota Timberwolves. His 26 points and 25 rebounds were both season highs, and the latter was also a career-best mark.
Coming off a 20-point, 14-rebound effort in Tuesday’s 102-96 loss to the Brooklyn Nets, the 25-year-old may be turning the corner on what’s so far been a relatively underwhelming season.
"They ran one play for him, the first play of the game," Timberwolves president and head coach Flip Saunders told reporters after the game. "Everything else he got—26 points, 25 rebounds—[it] was just on his pure hustle, pure energy. He was fabulous tonight."
Now 13-17 and struggling to crack the playoff conversation, Denver desperately needs more efforts like this one.
No Irving, No Problem
Point guard Kyrie Irving missed his first game of the year after bruising his knee against the Miami Heat on Thursday, but the Cleveland Cavaliers still prevailed by a 98-89 margin against the 11-21 Orlando Magic.
In a game that could have snuck up on the Cavs, four-time MVP LeBron James racked up 29 points, five rebounds, eights assists, two steals and two blocks. He got 15 of those points in the final frame, almost single-handedly willing his shorthanded Cavs to victory.
Suns Push Win Streak to Five in Isaiah's Sacramento Return
The Phoenix Suns' 115-106 win against the Sacramento Kings marks their fifth in a row, bringing the club within just one game of the No. 7-seeded San Antonio Spurs.
While Marcus Morris led all scorers with 20 points off the bench, point guard Isaiah Thomas tallied 17 of his own in his first return to Sacramento since Phoenix acquired him via sign-and-trade this summer. He also collected five assists in just 29 minutes of action.
The 25-year-old has had to sacrifice some production in his new sixth-man role, but he remains a highly lethal spark plug for a team that’s no stranger to dropping 115 points.
Russ to the Rescue Again
Coming off a 34-point, 11-assist effort in Thursday's 114-106 win against the Spurs, Russell Westbrook again led his Oklahoma City Thunder to victory in Kevin Durant's absence (sprained ankle). This time, he poured in 29 points in a 98-75 win against the Charlotte Hornets.
OKC's 15-16 record still leaves something to be desired, but things could be a whole lot worse given the club's struggles with injury.
Dudley Spearheads Unlikely Blowout
The 21-8 Atlanta Hawks still hold the East's No. 2 seed after Friday's 107-77 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, but their pride may have taken a hit. Swingman Jared Dudley led six Bucks who scored in double figures with 24 points, four rebounds, two assists and four steals in just 24 minutes.
Better yet, he did it all without missing a shot—finishing 10-of-10 from the field and 4-of-4 from beyond the three-point arc. The Bucks have been surprisingly good this season, but no one saw this kind of game coming against the likes of Atlanta.
Jack Carries Nets with Season High
After missing two games with a strained calf, Deron Williams returned to the floor in the Brooklyn Nets' 109-107 win against the Boston Celtics. But it was understudy Jarrett Jack who led the club with a season-high 27 points, seven rebounds and five assists in just his third start of the season.
The 10th-year veteran has been solid throughout his first campaign in Brooklyn, but he's been especially good with the added playing time afforded by Williams' injury. Jack tallied at least 15 points in each of his last three games while dishing out a combined 23 assists.
