Jabari Smith Jr. 12 points on 5-of-18 vs Pelicans (Dec 18, 2025)
12 PTS · 5-of-18 FG · 1-of-6 3P · 1-of-2 FT · 44:06 MIN
Usual before this game: 15.4 PTS · 12.0 FGA · 34.0 MIN, from 22 regular-season games
Lowest Game Score of 23 games this season: 2.0 against a usual 11.7 (-9.7)
below usual
No more than 3 in 100 games by players at this level finish this far below their usual.
For a player who plays every game, a game this far below the usual comes about 2 to 4 times a season.
How the score worksWhy did Jabari Smith Jr. score 12 points?
In 44:06 against the Pelicans on Dec 18, 2025, Jabari Smith Jr. scored 12 points: 5-of-18 from the field (27.8%), 1-of-6 from three (16.7%), 1-of-2 on free throws. Coming in, Smith had averaged 15.4 points on 12.0 shots in 34.0 minutes, from 22 regular-season games. This game had the lowest Game Score of 23 games this season. Smith took 18 shots, 6.0 more than usual. The rate from the field was 27.8%, against a usual 45.8%. By shot type: threes 3 points (usual 6.3); free throws 1 point (usual 2.3); two-pointers 8 points (usual 6.8). Minutes: 44:06, against a usual 34.0; Game Score per 36 minutes: 1.6, against a usual 12.4. Turnovers and fouls: 4 and 4, against a usual 1.4 and 3.1. The Rockets lost 133-128 at the Pelicans. The box score records what changed, not why: it holds no injury, matchup or coaching information.
Generated from the box score and this season's game log. How the score works
What changed
Smith in this game against the usual line
| Stat | This game | Usual (22 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 44:06 | 34.0 | +10.1 |
| Points | 12 | 15.4 | -3.4 |
| Shots (FGA) · FG% | 18 · 27.8% | 12.0 · 45.8% | +6.0 · -18.0 |
| 3PA · 3P% | 6 · 16.7% | 5.6 · 37.1% | +0.4 · -20.4 |
| FTA · FT% | 1-of-2 | 2.9 · 79.7% | -0.9 |
| Rebounds | 12 | 6.7 | +5.3 |
| Assists | 2 | 2.0 | 0.0 |
| Turnovers | 4 | 1.4 | +2.6 |
| UsageUsual: minutes-weighted average of per-game usage, 22 games | 20.1 | 17.9 | +2.2 |
| Game Score per 36 minutes | 1.6 | 12.4 | -10.8 |
Points by shot type
Twos, threes and free throws: the changes add up to the points change
| Shot type | This game | Usual (22 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Threes | 3 (1-of-6) | 6.3 (2.1-of-5.6) | -3.3 |
| Twos | 8 (4-of-12) | 6.8 (3.4-of-6.4) | +1.2 |
| Free throws | 1 (1-of-2) | 2.3 (2.3-of-2.9) | -1.3 |
| Total | 12 | 15.4 | -3.4 |
Game Score
One measure of the whole box score line
2.0 against a usual 11.7 (-9.7)
Its five parts
| Part | Change |
|---|---|
| Scoring, net of shot attempts | -8.0 |
| Rebounds | +2.6 |
| Assists | 0.0 |
| Steals and blocks | -1.3 |
| Turnovers and fouls | -3.0 |
| Total | -9.7 |
Season so far
Regular season, in date order
Lowest Game Score of 23 games this season.
Previous lowest: 3.7, set on Oct 24, 2025.
Context
From the rows this page already reads
- The Rockets lost 133-128 at the Pelicans.
- No earlier regular-season meetings with the Pelicans this season.
What this page cannot tell you
The same on every performance page
Box scores record what happened, not why: no injuries or health, defensive assignments, matchups, coaching decisions or play-by-play.
Game Score against the player's own usual line. How rare a gap is comes from NBA regular-season games of 2023-24 and 2024-25, checked on 2025-26.