How Rockets rookie Jabari Smith is making strides inside the arc

Jabari Smith Jr. #1 of the Houston Rockets puts up a basket against Devin Vassell #24 of the San Antonio Spurs during the first half at Toyota Center on December 19, 2022 in Houston.Jabari Smith's offensive production has been relatively muted in his first season with the Houston Rockets.

The No. 3 pick in the 2022-23 draft sits fourth on the rookie scoring leaderboard with 12.1 points per game, and the tantalizing moments of Smith draining pick-and-pop triples are often few and far between. In an offense featuring a pair of ball-dominant guards as well as precocious big man Alperen \u015eengün, Smith's involvement is typically secondary. Yet recent weeks have featured a more assertive…