HOUSTON – The Houston Rockets are 13-11 and now have a real chance to be at least a play-in team this season. To take the next step, though, head coach Ime Udoka and the Rockets need to figure out their starting lineup, and with the way he is playing, Tari Eason should be starting over Jalen Green.
Each team eager to make the playoffs doesn't just need a franchise player who does everything for the team to win ballgames. Sure, they do get buckets and are probably the reason ticket and jersey sales go up. But when that is the only player contributing, you need another guy who is down to do the dirty work. For the Houston Rockets, that player is Tari Eason.
Looking at his young career, Eason appears to be more like a top-ten pick in the 2022 NBA draft. Houston initially selected Eason 17th for bench depth and some two-way upside, but the young player has proved it and then some. He is making his name to be the Rockets' glue guy, who isn't afraid of sacrificing his body by getting into the passing lanes, grabbing loose balls, and capably defending all positions. Oh, he can score a little too.
Scoring
In his sophomore season, Eason has been as advertised. Agile on both sides of the floor, he's been performing better than what the Rockets had intended Jalen Green to be. The Rockets forward has been as efficient as ever, especially from the 3-point line. In just one seasonal change, Eason's raised his 3-point percentage by nearly 8%, going from 34.3 to 41.7%. Compared to last season, the Eason is even shooting more threes than last season.
Having only 9.3 points per game in 21 minutes isn't much, but his all-around game makes up for it. Eason averages 7.2 rebounds, which is number one for players coming off the bench with a minimum of 10 games played. His rebound totals are better than quality bench players like the Atlanta Hawks' Onyeka Okongwu and Milwaukee Bucks' Bobby Portis. Per averaging 36 minutes, Eason puts up All-Star numbers with 16.3 points and 12.8 rebounds per game.
Defense on the boards
On the defensive end, the development has improved tenfold. Compared to a 113.4 defensive rating in his rookie year, Eason holds a 97.3 defensive rating in his sophomore season. His aggressiveness on and off the ball is akin to the Rockets top three defensive rating.
Fred VanVleet loving the hustle from Tari Eason on the and-1 putback! pic.twitter.com/tU9DsUe8Bp
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) December 19, 2023
“I want to be the best defender in the NBA at some point,” Eason said. “I truly believe I can be. I will be. I just got to work, and the rest will fall into place. As far as effort and taking pride on that end of the floor, that’s kind of my calling card. I want to be the best defender I can be.”
The last recent stretch of games has seen Tari Eason come alive, especially with grabbing rebounds. In the last five games, Eason has averaged 12 points and 9.3 rebounds on 49.2% shooting. His back-to-back games came against the Memphis Grizzlies, grabbing 28 rebounds and scoring 45 points.
Should Eason start games?
In the Twitter-sphere, many Rockets fans considered the thought of Tari Eason in the Rockets' starting lineup. In a sense, he practically is, averaging 28 minutes over his last five games.
The problem is, who should he replace?
Last year, fans argued that Eason should start over Jabari Smith Jr. This argument has been muted, mainly because of Jabari's increased development.
Speaking of development, stats point toward replacing Jalen Green and putting him to come off the bench. The former No. 2 overall pick hasn't blossomed into the franchise star he's expected to be in his third season. In the month of December, Green is shooting a 33.6% field goal percentage. This includes the recent game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he shot a putrid 2-of-12 from the field.
Overall this season, Jalen is averaging 17.5 points on 40% shooting and 33.1% from deep. From previous seasons, his scoring has been exactly the same dating back to his rookie campaign.
For Tari to produce far better than a second overall pick in less than a year including taking his minutes down the stretch, it's a no-brainer to start him. Not only will it provide more defense and a faster offense in the starting lineup, but also it will boost the bench scoring. Green's weaknesses are easy to identify, but he can't be ruled out on his scoring ability, which has been something the Rockets bench has lacked. The team is number one when it comes to highest minutes used from their starting lineup.
Coming off the bench as a top-three pick is surely an ego killer, but maybe it could be what the Rockets need in order to compete against offensive-minded teams. This year is an experimental season. At some point, Ime Udoka needs to tinker with the lineups that work and rearrange lineups that don't.
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