HOUSTON — In an exciting comeback, Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. made a notable return on Friday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves, contributing 15 points and grabbing nine rebounds after sidelining for 22 games due to a fractured left hand.

Smith came off the bench as part of a strategy outlined by head coach Ime Udoka, who mentioned this decision was influenced by the possibility of needing some players rested for the following game in Utah, as the Rockets were facing back-to-back matchups.

“It was just a little bit of everything,” shared Udoka. “We want to ease him back into play. It’s not so much about conditioning, but we will assess how he performs tonight and everything will be determined going forward.”

Smith suffered the injury to a metacarpal bone in his hand during a team shootaround on January 3. During his absence, the Rockets managed a commendable 12-10 record.

Amen Thompson stepped up significantly during Smith’s time on the bench, starting 20 of the 22 games and being recognized as the Western Conference’s defensive player of the month for January.

Before the injury, Smith had been a consistent presence on the court, starting in every game this season with averages of 11.9 points and 6.5 rebounds.

The Rockets faced challenges with other players as well; Fred VanVleet missed his eighth consecutive game due to a sprained right ankle. On the Timberwolves’ side, Rudy Gobert was out for the second game in a row because of lower back spasms; however, Mike Conley returned to the lineup and contributed five points after sitting out four games with a sprained right index finger.

As the season progresses, the Rockets and their fans are hopeful for Smith’s continued recovery and the team’s overall performance.