Houston Rockets forward PJ Tucker is not a flashy player. He doesn't score with ease or amazes crowds with athleticism. However, he is one of the best perimeter defenders in the league and hustles on every single minute that he is on the court. During Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals, all his work paid off.
Tucker finished with the highest plus/minus on either team and did it while stuffing the boxscore. He recorded 17 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, two steals, one block, and zero turnovers. All these were accomplished while playing 42 minutes and shooting a solid 6-of-12 from the field.
This ended up being a classic P.J Tucker game. Even though he didn't exactly light it up, he made baskets when needed and shot well enough to be a consistent scoring threat.
Tucker's real benefit to the Rockets doesn't even come on the offensive side of the court. He holds a reputation as a rugged defender and one that can guard spots one through four. Tucker is listed as only 6'5″, but he's consistently tasked with guarding players that are nearly half a foot taller than him.
While Tucker might not ever be an All-Star or have a big following outside of Houston, the stocky forward is integral to the team's success. He provides quality minutes on both sides of the ball, and anyone on the Rockets would say he is one of the team's most important players.
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