How Rockets' Jabari Smith Jr. Builds on Durant-Like Opener

The Houston Rockets opened their home opener with an impressive 128-110 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. One player really stood out last night and that was Jabari Smith Jr. Smith had an excellent game and he finished with 30 points on 11-of-17 shooting, including four three-pointers, and watching him against Dallas, I couldn't help but think about how much his game resembled a young Kevin Durant.

Now, I'm not saying Smith is the next Durant, because we're talking about one of the greatest scorers in NBA history, but some of the shots he was making and the way he was getting to his spots looked awfully familiar.

Smith looked poised and everything looked so effortless. Smith wasn't rushing his offense or forcing anything, and there were stretches where it almost looked like he was going through shooting drills rather than playing in an NBA game.

I recently wrote about why I believed Smith could be Houston's biggest X-factor this season, and after watching his opening-night performance, I'm feeling pretty good about that prediction.

Smith Looks Like a Much More Confident Player

We've known for years that Smith has the talent to become a very good offensive player. At 6-foot-11, with his shooting ability and length, he has the physical tools that most players simply don't have.

Against Dallas, what stood out wasn't his size or even his shooting touch, it was his confidence.

There was almost no hesitation when he caught the basketball, and whether he was pulling up from midrange or stepping into a three-pointer, Smith looked completely comfortable with what he was doing.

I also loved how he was getting to his spots. He wasn't just standing around waiting for open threes, which is something we've seen from him at times in the past. He was actively looking for opportunities to score, and when he found a matchup he liked, he didn't hesitate to attack.

That's usually one of the biggest differences between a talented young player and someone who is starting to figure things out at the NBA level. Instead of reacting to everything the defense is doing, you're anticipating what's coming and playing with a much better understanding of where your opportunities are going to be.

Smith looked like that type of player against Dallas, and I'm curious to see whether this is something he can carry into the rest of the season.

Learning From Kevin Durant Could Be Huge for His Development

I don't think we can overlook how valuable it is for Smith to be playing alongside Kevin Durant at this stage of his career.

If you're a young forward with Smith's size and shooting ability, I'm not sure there's a better player in the league to learn from.

Durant has made a career out of getting to his spots and making difficult shots look easy, and that's exactly what reminded me of him when I watched Smith against the Mavericks.

The smoothness of his jumper, the patience he showed and the way he was shooting over defenders all had a little bit of that Durant influence.

Obviously, Smith still has a long way to go as a shot creator, and nobody should expect him to develop into the same caliber of offensive player. But imagine what he can learn from Durant over the course of an entire season, whether it's his footwork, shot preparation or simply understanding when to be aggressive.

Smith's Leap Could Change Houston's Championship Outlook

I've been pretty high on this Rockets team heading into the season, mainly because I believe they have one of the most talented rosters in basketball.

Between Durant, Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson, Houston already has an outstanding foundation, and we know how good this team can be defensively.

But when I look at what could separate the Rockets from some of the other contenders in the Western Conference, I keep coming back to Smith.

Think about what opposing teams are going to have to worry about when Durant and Sengun are on the floor together. Both players demand so much attention, and if Smith is knocking down shots while also showing the ability to create some offense for himself, where exactly is the defense supposed to focus?

Can Smith Keep This Going?

As impressive as Smith looked against Dallas, I don't want to overreact to one game.

He's not going to shoot this well every night, and with the amount of talent Houston has, there are going to be games where he simply doesn't get enough opportunities to put up big scoring numbers.

What I want to see is whether he can maintain the same level of confidence and aggressiveness throughout the season. Those are the things that will tell us whether Smith is truly making a leap.