Jabari Smith Jr.: season-high 32 points vs Pelicans (Jan 18, 2026)
32 PTS · 11-of-21 FG · 7-of-13 3P · 3-of-4 FT · 41:18 MIN
Usual before this game: 15.0 PTS · 12.7 FGA · 34.7 MIN, from 38 regular-season games
2nd-best Game Score of 39 games this season: 24.2 against a usual 10.8 (+13.4)
Season-high 32 points (previous high 25, set on Oct 29, 2025)
above usual
No more than 2 in 100 games by players at this level finish this far above their usual.
For a player who plays every game, a game this far above the usual comes about once or twice a season.
How the score worksWhy did Jabari Smith Jr. score 32 points?
In 41:18 against the Pelicans on Jan 18, 2026, Jabari Smith Jr. scored 32 points: 11-of-21 from the field (52.4%), 7-of-13 from three (53.8%), 3-of-4 on free throws. Before this game, Smith averaged 15.0 points on 12.7 shots in 34.7 minutes across 38 regular-season games. The 32 points were a season high, above the previous 25. This game had the 2nd-best Game Score of 39 games this season. Smith took 21 shots, 8.3 more than usual. The rate from the field was 52.4%, against a usual 42.5%. From threes, 21 points against a usual 6.4; from two-pointers, 8 points against a usual 6.5. Smith played 41:18 against a usual 34.7 minutes; per 36 minutes the Game Score was 21.1, against a usual 11.2. At home against the Pelicans, the Rockets won 119-110. 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 (38 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 41:18 | 34.7 | +6.6 |
| Points | 32 | 15.0 | +17.0 |
| Shots (FGA) · FG% | 21 · 52.4% | 12.7 · 42.5% | +8.3 · +9.9 |
| 3PA · 3P% | 13 · 53.8% | 6.2 · 34.5% | +6.8 · +19.3 |
| FTA · FT% | 3-of-4 | 2.7 · 75.0% | +1.3 |
| Rebounds | 8 | 6.9 | +1.1 |
| Assists | 0 | 1.8 | -1.8 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1.4 | -0.4 |
| UsageUsual: minutes-weighted average of per-game usage, 38 games | 24.1 | 18.4 | +5.7 |
| Game Score per 36 minutes | 21.1 | 11.2 | +9.9 |
Points by shot type
Twos, threes and free throws: the changes add up to the points change
| Shot type | This game | Usual (38 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Threes | 21 (7-of-13) | 6.4 (2.1-of-6.2) | +14.6 |
| Twos | 8 (4-of-8) | 6.5 (3.3-of-6.5) | +1.5 |
| Free throws | 3 (3-of-4) | 2.1 (2.1-of-2.7) | +0.9 |
| Total | 32 | 15.0 | +17.0 |
Game Score
One measure of the whole box score line
24.2 against a usual 10.8 (+13.4)
Its five parts
| Part | Change |
|---|---|
| Scoring, net of shot attempts | +13.3 |
| Rebounds | +0.9 |
| Assists | -1.3 |
| Steals and blocks | -0.6 |
| Turnovers and fouls | +1.1 |
| Total | +13.4 |
Season so far
Regular season, in date order
2nd-best Game Score of 39 games this season.
Context
From the rows this page already reads
- The Rockets won 119-110 at home against the Pelicans.
- Earlier regular-season meetings with the Pelicans this season: 12 points (Dec 18, 2025).
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.