Tari Eason is back.<\/p>\n
After missing 14 straight games for the Houston Rockets<\/a> with a strained right oblique, Eason suited up in Houston’s 125-124 overtime loss to the Sacramento Kings<\/a>. 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<\/a>.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Eason makes an immediate impact<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n