Jabari Smith Jr. let out a rare display of frustration in Tuesday's blowout loss to the Brooklyn Nets, with the Houston Rockets rookie earning a technical as he slammed the ball to the floor after the halftime buzzer sounded in a 118-96 defeat.
There was good reason for Smith's anger as he walked off the court at the Toyota Center and into the locker room. What was a tie game with less than a minute remaining in the first half ballooned into a five-point Brooklyn advantage, as a made jumper from Smith was followed by an easy layup from Brooklyn guard Spencer Dinwiddie, a Rockets turnover and a buzzer-beater three from new Nets star Mikal Bridges.