The Houston Rockets defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 119-98 on Halloween. For Houston, the game was the second of a back-to-back, having lost their first NBA Cup game the night before. The team bounced back with aplomb and continued to show they may have been underestimated for much of this offseason. Three Rockets players in particular stood out in the win.
Oct 31, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. (10) shoots against Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jaylin Williams (6) in the second quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
Before Rockets fans get too excited about the victory, it's important to note the Thunder's own situation coming into this game. Injury taking out Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams makes OKC a shadow of their title-winning selves. While the team is known for its plug-and-play depth, it's also notorious for being a one-man band offensively. Indeed, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the only Thunderbolt with more than 11 points against the Rockets.
The Rockets took full advantage of their opponent's woes, though, and sought to add to them. Houston took the lead early in the first quarter and led comfortably until the final whistle. Leading the way to that lead was Jabari Smith Jr. , who had his second 30-point outing of the season in just seven games. Smith had 30 points, nine rebounds, and five assists, shooting 10-for-18 from the field and 6-for-12 from three.
For reference, Smith had two games with 30 or more points in the entire 2025-26 season. He went for 32 against the New Orleans Pelicans in January, and 31 against the Utah Jazz in February.
Thanks to his two thirty-bombs and generally consistent production in 2026-27, Smith is currently averaging 19.0 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. Of course, it's also thanks to the fact that he is shooting 44.7% on 6.7 three-point attempts per game.
It's likely that Smith's three-point percentage will regress at least slightly towards the norm. For his career, he averages just 35.0% from three. Over the last three seasons, that number is 36.1%. However, Smith was projected as a lights-out shooter coming into the 2022 draft. For all the talk of the Rockets' new shooting coach benefiting the stars , maybe it was Smith's latent potential that would be capitalized on the most.
Speaking of Houston's stars, Alperen Şengün returned against the Thunder from a two-game absence due to back soreness. His field goal percentage looked like someone who still has back soreness, as he went just 6-for-17 from the field. However, it also looked like someone playing without his starting point guard again (more on that later). Finishing 0-for-2, it was his first game of the season shooting under 50% from three.
But despite difficulties from the field, Şengün was up to his usual wizardry. He finished with 16 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists. His production made all the difference versus Houston's Cup game without him.
It's no coincidence that the Rockets' first loss of the season came in a game that Sengun sat out. While the Rockets prevailed under similar circumstances against the rudderless Milwaukee Bucks, the Dallas Mavericks proved too much without a Wizard to guide them. The Rockets fell 116-111 to the Mavericks in the Group A Cup game.
It's also no coincidence that the Rockets' two closest games this season (including the loss) are the two in which they recorded the fewest assists. Passes per game are a key Rockets stat to watch this season. Through their first six games, the Rockets sat at 12th in passes made per game ( 297.8 ). Şengün is a key part of keeping the ball moving.
Of course, what also usually helps with keeping the ball moving is having a point guard who knows how to pass it. The Rockets were without Fred VanVleet against the Thunder, but Marcus Smart stepped up to take his place.
Smart played almost 36 minutes in the game, finishing with 24 points, five rebounds, and three assists. What stands out most about his stat line, though, is his 7-of-10 from three. He did not attempt a single two-point field goal. Even his three free throws came off a fouled three-point attempt.
Smart is averaging 11.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 4.8 three-point attempts out of 7.0 field goal attempts per game. He is shooting 47.4% on his threes, albeit a number extremely reliant on Saturday night's game, which was only his fourth of the season.
VanVleet has also been sticking to mostly three-pointers this season. He has attempted 7.2 three-pointers per game to only 4.0 two-pointers. His biggest contribution, however, has been his ability to get Şengün the ball in spots that make it the easiest for the big man to score. That's what was lacking in both of the Rockets' most recent games, versus Dallas with no Şengün, and versus OKC as VanVleet took scheduled rest.
While Smart's role with the Rockets looked like it would involve Smart's excellent pure-passing ability, VanVleet and Şengün have a pick-and-roll chemistry that's just hard to catch up with. Partly, that's because of Şengün's tendency to slip screens to look for mismatches inside. Smart's best pick-and-roll pairings have been with hard-rolling bigs who like to finish above the rim. Obviously, that isn't Şengün's game.
What Saturday night showed is that Smart can adjust to Şengün in more ways than one. As long as he keeps landing from three at a respectable rate, Şengün doesn't need him to be a perfect doppelganger for VanVleet.
The Rockets will next play on Monday night versus the Boston Celtics. With several players in and out of the lineup just seven games into the season, it's hard to say who all will play or how long Houston can keep their impressive start alive. Of the players who stood out for Houston on Halloween, former Celtic Smart certainly stands out as the one who'd least like to stand up the Leprechaun.
Featured Image: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
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