Tari Eason's Quick Case for Sixth Man of The Year

Tari Eason has been the Rockets' backbone of winning this year. He is a diamond in the rough.

Nov 6, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason (17) reacts after scoring a basket during the second quarter against the San Antonio Spurs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Houston Rockets are looking solid so far this season. Tari Eason's aggressiveness has been the biggest presence so far.

Eason is looking like one of the best defenders in the league, averaging 1.8 steals and 1.2 blocks per game. The forward is also putting up almost 12 points and five rebounds off of the bench.

Watching him play shows the type of player that he is. Every game, whether he is playing on-ball defense or not, he is always pushing the pace and ramping up tempo. His quick hands make it easy for him to make plays on defense, resulting in offense.

There has never been a player to have a block and steal rate of 4% in one season in NBA history. Eason is on pace to do that this year. In addition to these stats, he is tied for the second most steals in the league, while playing just 22.6 minutes a game.

Ime Udoka was Kawhi Leonard's coach on the San Antonio Spurs, and is now making comparisons of the two players.

Here’s Ime Udoka giving Tari Eason Kawhi Leonard comps after tonight’s game.

Thoughts?? pic.twitter.com/0qTg1016fB

— 🚀 (@AaronPKP) November 12, 2024

Eason stands out among bench players across the league. He does not just want to win, he is a winner. On any given night this season so far, no matter how much Houston is up or down by, Eason puts his body on the line to go out there and boost the team's energy.

A diamond in the rough, the sixth man is unlike any other player in the second rotation. He gets on the court and immediately turns the Rockets into a winning team. If someone is having an off night, Eason comes into the game and pushes momentum. He turns big plays on defense into powerful dunks or a quick two points on the other end.

Although the stat sheet says it all for him, watching the way he brings life into the game is astonishing. Eason is not just a hustle player, he is the grit-and-grind of the team's roster. Houston's energy and winning seems to run through him.

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