Updated Jan. 13, 2026, 11:35 p.m. CT

HOUSTON — Entering Tuesday, the Rockets were on a three-game losing streak, and fourth-year forward Jabari Smith Jr. had averaged just 9.3 points on 25.5% shooting (5.0% on 3-pointers) in those losses.

But in a startling turnaround, Smith took over down the stretch of Tuesday’s 119-113 victory (box score) over the Chicago Bulls.

Smith finished with 18 points and 7 rebounds, including 10 fourth-quarter points and an eight-point flurry in the closing minutes to put the game away. That flurry featured a pair of 3-pointers, which snapped what had been an 0-for-20 stretch from beyond the arc.

“Teammates believed in me,” Smith told Space City Home Network’s Vanessa Richardson. “They kept passing it to me. Everyone told me to keep my head up.”

While Smith’s breakout was the feel-good story, Houston’s three biggest names all pulled their weight. Final statistics were:

Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!Kevin Durant: 28 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists; 12-of-23 shooting (52.2% FG)Alperen Sengun: 23 points, 11 assists, 7 rebounds; 10-of-18 shooting (55.6% FG)Amen Thompson: 23 points, 5 rebounds; 6-of-10 shooting (60.0%), 10-of-10 on free throws

After not playing rotation minutes in weeks, JD Davison provided a spark off Houston’s bench with 9 points (50.0% FG), 7 rebounds, and 4 assists in 25 minutes.

The Bulls (18-21) remained competitive behind point guard Tre Jones, who finished with a career-high 34 points and 7 assists while making 11-of-12 shots (91.7%). That total included 5-of-6 from 3-point range (83.3%) and 7-of-8 from the free-throw line (87.5%).

With Tuesday’s win, the Rockets (23-14, No. 5 in the Western Conference standings) are now 12-2 at Toyota Center this season. Having played nine more road games, they are 11-12 away from Houston.

Fortunately, the Rockets will shrink that gap over the remainder of the 2025-26 season, starting with four more outings on their current five-game homestand. Next up is Thursday’s game versus the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder (34-7), with tipoff scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Central.

That game will be televised to a national audience on Prime Video.

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