Houston Rockets: Tari Eason Commanding More Minutes with Improved Play

Tari Eason is making a case for more minutes as he is putting together a career year.

Nov 6, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason (17) walks off the court after the game against the San Antonio Spurs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Houston Rockets secured a hard-fought, 101-99 victory against the Detroit Pistons. This win allowed them to split their brief two-game road trip. They will return to Houston to host the Washington Wizards on Monday evening.

One of the main reasons for the victory was Tari Eason's performance. He has been one of the Rockets' most consistent players during an up-and-down season. Eason has started strong this year after struggling with injuries during the 2023-24 season.

Eason played in only 22 games last season after a great rookie season. So far this season, Eason has career-best marks across the board, averaging a career-high in points, 3-point shooting, and field goal percentage through 10 games. Eason also leads all bench players in blocks plus steals.

In Sunday's win, Eason finished second among both teams in points and rebounds in only 27 minutes. The Rockets have made sure to monitor Eason's minutes, but as they get deeper into the season, expect those minutes to start to grow.

Eason finished with more minutes than Jabari Smith, being the biggest reason for the Rockets second-half comeback. If Eason does start to see more minutes, those minutes likely will come from Smith as Dillon Brooks hasn't done anything to lose the confidence of Ime Udoka.

Smith is currently performing at the same level as last season, but the Rockets were hoping to see an improvement during his third season. In contrast to Eason, Smith has experienced a decline in all of his statistics compared to his second season.

He is putting up career lows in points, rebounds, and 3-point shooting. Through 10 games, his minutes have also dropped to a career-low 28.8 a game. Udoka has shown through his Rockets coaching career that he has no issue letting Eason close out games.

If this trend continues, expect Eason to really start taking minutes from Smith. If he continues to produce at this level, it will become increasingly difficult for Udoka to keep Eason off the court.

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