Tari Eason is back.
After missing 14 straight games for the Houston Rockets with a strained right oblique, Eason suited up in Houston’s 125-124 overtime loss to the Sacramento Kings. It was his first game action since he suffered the initial injury on Nov. 14, when he exited after playing just 10 minutes in a blowout 140-116 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.
Eason makes an immediate impact
Eason scored 16 points in just 15 minutes played, providing a spark off the bench while on a minutes restriction. He showed little rust on the offensive side of the ball despite the lengthy absence, shooting 6-for-8 from the field while spacing the floor for the Rockets. One of his best offensive moments came late in the third quarter, when Eason grabbed a rebound and took it the length of the floor for a coast-to-coast layup.
Coming into the game as the league leader in three-point percentage, Eason also picked up where he left off, shooting a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc. On the season, Eason is now shooting 53.6% from deep on a career-high 4.7 attempts per game after making a career-low 34.2% of his triples last year.
He did a little bit of everything for Houston in the loss, adding three rebounds and three assists while also recording a steal. One of the best parts about Eason’s game is his energy and ability to make hustle plays, which he provided multiple times for Houston. With a minute left in the third quarter, the forward tracked down a loose ball while fighting off two Kings defenders, driving to the basket before finding Jabari Smith Jr. down low for an easy dunk.
It wasn’t all positive for Eason as he missed a late closeout in overtime that left Sacramento’s Dennis Schroder wide open for the game-winning three. Overall, it was still an encouraging return for Eason and a sign that the fourth-year forward is healthy again. Despite the loss, Eason showed why he remains a vital part of Houston’s title aspirations this season, and the Rockets will hope he stays healthy and continues producing on the court moving forward.