"That getback's a mothaf—ka!” - Jabari Smith Jr. on the Rockets big win vs. the Warriors

In their first matchup against the Golden State Warriors this season, Jabari Smith Jr. and the Houston Rockets made sure to remember being kicked out by them in the first round of the playoffs last season.

When the game was leaning towards another Warriors victory on their home floor, the Rockets came back from down 14 in the second half to prove that they’re no longer pushovers. After successfully performing well in the clutch to steal the victory on the road, Smith Jr. couldn’t help but send a message to his opponents.

The Rockets’ depth

To nobody’s surprise, the Rockets are off to a sensational start to the season as they’ve won 12 of their first 16 games. They’re playing consistent basketball and have emerged as a powerhouse team with a top-five offensive and defensive rating. Much of their success can be attributed to their depth, which head coach Ime Udoka alluded to postgame as their greatest strength.

Despite having no Kevin Durant in Wednesday’s victory over the Dubs, the Rockets were able to get key contributions from across the board, led by Reed Sheppard, Aaron Holiday, Alperen Sengun and Smith, who carried them in crunch time.

“We have depth, and we play to a standard regardless of who’s in or out. We see a night like tonight where Aaron steps up, Clint has eight offensive rebounds. Reed 31 and nine and Amen doesn’t shoot it at his best, but he’s still 10 and 14. So our depth is there, different guys coming in and contributing, and it’s going to be exciting when we get fully healthy and whole,” Udoka said.

The Rockets’ defensive depth limited the Warriors to just 41 points in the second half, with 17 points in the third quarter, when they made their run. It helped that Steph Curry — who left the game with a quad contusion — didn’t play well either. Houston prevented Golden State from shooting more than 27.9% from downtown and bested them in transition (13-6).

Related: Steve Kerr heaves sigh of relief after Steph Curry injury update

Same approach, more motivation 

Coming into their first contest against the Warriors with vengeance on their minds is the example of the culture that Udoka has set for this team since he took over as the head coach in 2023. Ime is pleased with what he saw on Wednesday night, and the best part is that his vision for this corresponding roster — which is to be a relentless two-way team — is panning out. The Rockets’ activity on both offense and defense was what led to their best win of the season so far.

“It was a big mantra of ours going into the season to continue to do what brought us success in the last few years while we improve on the offensive end and add some pieces here and then. We don’t want to lose that mentality we have, so we feel like we’re one of the teams that can do it on both ends offensively and defensively. Some just try to outscore you. Some try to guard and stop you like we did in previous years. We could do both, and when we do both, we’re in great shape,” Udoka said.

Now that they’ve made their first statement of the season, it’ll be interesting to see whether or not the Rockets can keep up their performance or even take it to another level. However, with 16 games in the books, they’ve nabbed some impressive wins, including this most recent one against the team that has been a nightmare for them over the years.

Related: Reggie Miller explains how lack of experienced point guard is the 'Biggest Question' for Rockets title hopes

This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Nov 27, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.