Smith on third straight 20/10 effort in Rockets’ upset win over Celtics: 'I just trust in what got me here … I just let it fly'

The Houston Rockets began the St. Patrick’s Day holiday week on Monday with a monumental 111-109 home win over the Boston Celtics, the incumbent Eastern Conference champions and one of the top teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Rookie forward Jabari Smith, Jr. recorded his third consecutive 20-point, 10-rebound effort to help the lowly Rockets upset the Celtics, chipping in 24 points and a dozen rebounds in 36 minutes of action. 

“I just trust in what got me here … I just let it fly,” Smith, whom Houston selected out of Auburn University with the third overall pick in last summer’s draft, told AT&T SportsNet postgame. 

After the Rockets swept the San Antonio Spurs in a weekend series earlier this month, they embarked on another losing skid before hooking up with Boston, a matchup that appeared to be in the Celtics’ favor on paper.

Second-year guard Jalen Green led all Rockets scorers with 28 points and third-year big K.J. Martin, Jr. added 20 points, CBS Sports reported. 

Floor general Kevin Porter, Jr. was the other Rocket aside from Smith to register a double-double at the visitors’ expense with 14 points and 13 assists. 

Houston as a team outrebounded Boston 48-38, as well as forced 12 turnovers in the David vs. Goliath-esque battle, which capped a five-game winning streak the Celtics hoarded over their hosts. 

The Rockets successfully withstood a 43-point explosion from two-time NBA All-Star Jaylen Brown, Sports Illustrated (SI) reported.

Notching their 16th victory of the season, Houston is the NBA’s second-worst team ahead of the Detroit Pistons going into Tuesday. 

The two squads, along with the Spurs, are in the running for the No. 1 pick in the June draft, which is purportedly sought-after French star Victor Wembanyama. 

Next up in the Rockets’ six-game homestand are the LeBron James-less Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday.