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Things got pretty intense on Monday night as the Houston Rockets took on the red-hot Utah Jazz. A lot was on the line for Houston, who had yet to secure their first win of the season, and it's quite understandable that emotions were running high.
At one point, Rockets teammates Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr. were involved in a heated verbal altercation during a timeout. It looked like Smith was ready to go (h/t Hoop Central on Twitter):
Jabari Smith and Jalen Green had words on the bench.
(via @DeuceThomas)
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) October 25, 2022
It is unclear what was said between the pair and what caused the intense verbal exchange. What you can say for sure is that Smith did not appreciate what his teammate was telling him. You can see how Smith yanked his arm from Kevin Porter Jr., who was trying to hold him back during the heated moment. It was at that point when other teammates and the coaching staff came between the pair in order to prevent the moment from escalating.
This seems to be nothing more than a heat-of-the-moment type of confrontation, and they should be able to put this behind them quickly. Hopefully.
The important thing here is that the Rockets finally got their first win of the season after taking down the previously undefeated Jazz. Both Smith (21 points, nine rebounds) and Green (25 points, four triples) were integral to Houston's success on the evening, and the Rockets will need both youngsters on the same page moving forward.
The Rockets head to Utah on Wednesday for a rematch against the Jazz.
