Jabari Smith Jr. Says Rockets Are Better Than Lakers Despite 3-1 Hole

jabari smith jr. did not soften his view before Game 5. The Rockets forward said Houston was "obviously the better team" even while the Lakers led the first-round series 3-1, turning his pregame comments into fresh fuel for a matchup already shaped by injuries on both sides.

Smith Backs Houston

"We’re obviously the better team, I feel like," Smith said ahead of Game 5. He added, "I just feel like from top to bottom (we are better)... you can say that’s an opinion. I’m biased; I just feel like we’re the better team."

The numbers around him are solid enough to support the confidence. Smith averaged 18.5 points per game in the series and went 14-of-36 from 3-point range, good for 38.9 percent. For the season, he had averaged 15.8 points per game and shot 36.3 percent from deep.

Lakers Missing Pieces

Houston’s edge in Smith’s mind came in a series both teams played shorthanded. The Lakers had been without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, and Reaves was expected to return for Game 5. Houston, meanwhile, had been without Kevin Durant for every game except Game 2.

That made the Rockets’ own performance harder to separate from the absences around them. The Lakers’ turnover problem became particularly acute in Game 4, while Houston did not miss Durant, according to the article.

Game 5 Pressure

Smith’s comments landed at the sharpest possible time, with Houston needing a response while trailing 3-1. Ime Udoka has a team that still has a foothold in the series, but the margin for error has already disappeared after four games.

For the Rockets, Game 5 is the chance to make Smith’s words look less like a shot and more like a challenge they can still back up on the floor.