The Houston Rockets lost to the Miami Heat in the second game of their Florida road trip, 115-105, on Saturday afternoon. Notably, they were without starting power forward Jabari Smith Jr. for the game due to injury. He was absent with an ankle sprain that’s expected to sideline him for at least one more game. Houston fans and front office staffers will be asking themselves the same question, though. How much is Smith’s absence actually felt?

Jabari Smith Jr. Injury Robs Rockets Of Their Super Power

The Rockets’ games this season without Smith will be an important point of analysis for the front office this summer. Up until now, there wasn’t much of a sample size. Smith had missed just one previous game in 2025-26, way back in November (another ankle sprain). The Rockets won that game, defeating a dysfunctional Dallas Mavericks squad 110-102.

In theory, the six-foot-eleven, athletic, jump shooting Smith is an ideal front-court partner/small ball backup for Houston’s franchise center, Alperen Sengun. Sengun is a playmaking low-post wizard with limited range and slightly lackluster shot blocking. Meanwhile, Smith, in theory, is a floor-spacing rim protector.

But theory doesn’t always translate perfectly to reality. Smith is averaging a very respectable 36.8% on 6.1 three-point attempts per game this season. Importantly, though, of those, 3.0 per game are considered “open” and 2.3 are “wide open.”

Shooting when open is obviously good, but, unlike with Rockets guard Reed Sheppard, Houston’s offense isn’t ever setting out to generate open looks for Smith. The Rockets certainly aren’t running a movement offense in general, either. Smith gets these looks because opposing defenses are mostly unconcerned about them. In fairness to Smith, defenses don’t single him out for this level of disinterest. The book on Houston is to simply throw it at Sengun and help off of everyone not named Kevin Durant to do so. Smith just doesn’t distinguish himself enough to be considered another exception.

Jabari Smith Jr.’s Recent Play Before Injury

Still, Smith has been on one of the most efficient stretches of his career in recent games. Over his last ten games, he’s averaging 17.3 points on 57.0% from the field, 44.4% from three on 5.4 attempts per game, and 79.2% from the free throw line. Over his last five, he’s averaging 18.4 points on 66.7% from the floor and 48.1% on three.

In those last five, the Rockets went 4-1. But Smith only had a positive plus/minus in two of them. While he was a +21 in that span, he was a +28 during a blowout win over the tanking Utah Jazz. Even with the best shooting of his career, Smith’s impact as a difference maker isn’t always obvious.

How Smith Gives Houston Its Super Power

But Smith isn’t just a shooter. The “floor spacing” rim protector is a legitimately key part of Houston’s interior defense. He’s second on the team in blocks per game at 1.0 behind Sengun’s 1.1. He only averages 2.5 fouls compared with Sengun’s 3.2 as well. Houston was outscored 66-50 in points in the paint on Saturday afternoon without him.

Smith is also a key part of Houston’s rebounding strategy. Smith is fourth on the team in rebounds per game and sixth in offensive rebounds, behind wing Amen Thompson in both categories. At power forward, however, Smith is tasked with boxing out better rebounders than Thompson. With three-man-box-out specialist Steven Adams done for the season as well, Smith’s importance in that regard increases. On Saturday, Miami was actually able to hold pace with Houston’s rebounders, as both teams secured 47 apiece. The Rockets only had 15 offensive rebounds compared with Miami’s 14.

Without Smith or Adams in the lineup, the Rockets are almost just a regularly sized team. That’s especially the case when they’re starting the six-foot-two Sheppard, as they did against the Heat. If the Rockets want to significantly overhaul their core this offseason, then Smith, with his team-friendly contract, is the most obvious moving part.

Ironically, his strong availability is what makes him a more tradable asset than the likes of the impactful but oft-injured Tari Eason. But that trade value will be in vain if Smith’s absence continues in the same vein as versus the Heat. It might not always seem like it, but Smith gives Houston its superpower. It’s just a question of whether that’s a superpower you can build a contender around.

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