Tag: Tari Eason

Rockets at Heat: Monday’s stream, lineups, injury reports and broadcast info

Alperen Sengun returns to Houston’s lineup Monday for a high-profile road exhibition versus Bam Adebayo and the veteran-laden Heat. Jabari Smith Jr. and Eric Gordon remain out.

Entering what was billed by many as another rebuilding year, the Houston Rockets have wildly overachieved expectations to this point in the NBA’s 2022-23 preseason. With a 2-0 record and an average margin of victory of 27 points, second-year guard Jalen Green and rookie forward Tari Eason have led the way for an improving group.

But Monday’s game at Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and the veteran-laden Miami Heat is Houston’s first road game of the exhibition slate, and it comes versus a perennial Eastern Conference contender.

The Rockets will again be short-handed with rookie forward Jabari Smith Jr. (left ankle sprain) and Eric Gordon (rest) sitting out for a second straight game, though second-year center Alperen Sengun will return after missing Friday’s victory due to a dental procedure.

Can Houston keep its run of surprisingly strong form going? Scroll on for a look at broadcast information, projected lineups, and known injuries. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. Central at FTX Arena.

John Lucas on Rockets rookie Tari Eason: ‘Better Dennis Rodman’

John Lucas on #Rockets rookie Tari Eason: “He is a prime example of a better Dennis Rodman. You don’t have to run plays for him.” Jalen Green adds: “He’s a dog.”

HOUSTON — It’s hard to describe how this has happened with just two exhibition games played. Still, Rockets rookie forward Tari Eason is making media members, as well as his fellow players and coaches, run out of adjectives for how well he has played. And Houston still has two more preseason and 82 regular-season games left.

Eason, 21, led all scorers with 24 points and grabbed 8 rebounds in 25 minutes of work in the Rockets’ 116-100 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Friday night at Toyota Center. His performance was duly noted by Houston assistant coach John Lucas II, who has taken over the head coaching duties while Stephen Silas is in the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocol.

“Second night, not one play, not many plays (called for Eason), another 24 and nine,” Lucas said. “He missed the 3 and got the ball right back and laid it back up. Big momentum for us. I was on him early because he looks like he gets in a daze, but he’s really focused.”

The praises for the former 2021 Southeastern Conference Sixth Man of the Year did not stop there. In the same week he compared rookie Jabari Smith Jr. to San Antonio legend David Robinson, Lucas tossed out another one-time Spurs comparison for Eason.

“He is a prime example of a better Dennis Rodman,” said Lucas, whose first NBA head coaching job was with the Spurs in the early 1990s. “That is a good fit for him. I have been trying to see who he plays like. You don’t have to run plays for him, but you can pencil in 16 to 18 points for him, and he is getting better. He is crashing the offensive glass. He is running the floor and getting steals.”

For those who have had the opportunity to be around Eason, you can tell that he is a basketball savant who studies the league, both past and present. So, it was no surprise he knew everything Rodman brought to the court every night during his 15 years in the NBA.

“That’s a super, super big honor to be compared to a legend, a Hall of Famer, someone like Dennis Rodman,” said Eason, who is averaging 22.5 points and 9 rebounds per game in the preseason. “Obviously, we both have a knack for finding the ball, playing defense, and bringing high energy. Any time you’re in talks with someone like that, it’s super, super special.”

One player who clearly recognizes that energy while feeding off it on the court is Eason’s teammate and 2021-22 NBA All-Rookie first-team selection, Jalen Green.

“We were just talking about that on the bench,” Green said in referencing a conversation (about Eason) with backcourt mate Kevin Porter Jr. “He’s a dog. He is giving us multiple efforts offensively and defensively. He just brings energy. That’s going to be super big for our team going into the season.”

Houston (2-0) is holding an open practice with fans on Saturday at Toyota Center before heading to Miami to play the Heat (2-1) in Monday’s third preseason game. Tipoff is at 6:30 p.m. Central.

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Jalen Green, Tari Eason lead Rockets to impressive win over Raptors

Jalen Green (23 points) and Tari Eason (24 points, 8 rebounds) had impressive games in limited minutes as the short-handed Rockets upset Toronto in Friday’s exhibition.

Despite being down three starters and facing a perennial playoff team, the young Houston Rockets pulled off a very impressive preseason victory in Friday’s 116-100 win (box score) at Toyota Center over the visiting Raptors. Toronto, a perennial contender in the Eastern Conference, played the vast majority of its rotation players.

Second-year guard Jalen Green (23 points in 25 minutes) and rookie forward Tari Eason (24 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals in 25 minutes) were the clear standouts as Houston led comfortably for the vast majority of the game. Green shot 7-of-16 overall (43.8%) and made 4-of-9 from 3-point range (44.4%) on Friday, while Eason hit 8-of-15 shots (53.3%) and 2-of-4 on 3-pointers (50.0%).

The Raptors were led in defeat by former All-Star Pascal Siakam, who had 18 points and 6 rebounds in 27 minutes. Reigning Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes, who beat out Green for the honor in the 2021-22 season, was held to just 2 points on 0-of-5 shooting.

The Rockets were quite short-handed for Friday’s exhibition, as expected, with Jabari Smith Jr. (left ankle sprain), Alperen Sengun (dental procedure), Eric Gordon (rest), and head coach Stephen Silas (health and safety protocols) all out. Smith, Sengun, and Gordon were replaced in the lineup by Jae’Sean Tate, Bruno Fernando, and KJ Martin, while assistant John Lucas took over as acting head coach.

Martin, in particular, was impressive for the Rockets with 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists in 27 minutes, shooting 4-of-9 from the field (44.4%) and 2-of-4 on 3-pointers (50.0%).

Scroll on for postgame interviews and analysis. The Rockets (2-0) will resume their preseason schedule on Monday night at Miami, while the Raptors (2-1) will host Chicago on Sunday.

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NBA GM survey: Tari Eason viewed as biggest steal in 2022 draft

In NBA.com’s annual GM survey, Rockets rookie Tari Eason finished tied for first on the question of biggest steal relative to his 2022 draft slot.

With an All-NBA Summer League first-team performance and a sparkling preseason debut (21 points, 69.2 FG% and 10 rebounds in 21 minutes), rookie forward Tari Eason has already made quite an impression on the Houston Rockets and the team’s fans.

It appears the secret is out.

In NBA.com’s annual general manager survey, Eason finished tied for first on the question of biggest steal relative to his draft slot. Eason, drafted at No. 17 in the 2022 first round, came in tied with Detroit’s Jalen Duren, who was selected a few picks earlier at No. 13.

Eason was the only member of the Rockets to finish first (or tied for first) in the GM survey. Other Houston players who received votes included Jabari Smith Jr. for 2022-23 Rookie of the Year; Smith for the best player among the rookie class in five years; and Jalen Green for most likely to have a breakout year this season.

For the survey, NBA general managers responded to 50 questions about the best teams, players, coaches and offseason moves. Respondents were not permitted to vote for their own team or personnel. The complete survey results can be viewed here.

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Without designed plays, Rockets rookie Tari Eason making a big impact

Tari Eason (21 points, 10 rebounds) to @BigSargeSportz after his #Rockets debut: “Plays aren’t really run for me, anyway, so I’m just used to finding open spaces and getting it on my own.”

HOUSTON — Rockets rookie Tari Eason had an intriguing NBA preseason debut in Sunday’s 134-96 win over San Antonio. He finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds. The 6-foot-8 forward connected on 9-of-13 shots (69.2%) in only 21 minutes played.

Going back to his LSU career, ending the game with a double-double is a normal stat line for last season’s Southeastern Conference Sixth Man of the Year. In this case, it was fascinating he did it all without one offensive play designed to get him the ball.

“We did not run one play for Tari tonight,” said Rockets head coach Stephen Silas during his postgame press conference. “But his crashing and his knack for getting to the rim is good.”

Silas knew precisely what the No. 17 selection in the first round of the 2022 NBA draft brought to his team when he sat courtside in Las Vegas and watched Eason earn All-NBA Summer League first-team honors, averaging 17.2 points and 10.2 rebounds per game.

“I am always working on my game,” Eason said over the summer. “I love to hoop, so anywhere a hoop is, I love to go play.”

Eason, 21, admitted it is common for an offensive set not to have any designed plays involving him, and he is OK with that.

“Plays aren’t really run for me, anyway, so I am just used to finding open spaces and getting it on my own,” Eason said after Houston’s 38-point victory over the Spurs. “Whether that is getting it off the glass or a steal. Anything I can do to try and get myself going.”

That mentality takes many Rockets fans back to 30 years ago when Houston selected another All-SEC small forward in the first round of the 1992 NBA draft: Robert Horry. Like Eason, Horry had to find his way in a system focused on more offensive-minded players such as Hakeem Olajuwon and Vernon Maxwell.

The majority of his four years with the Rockets consisted of Horry being in the right place at the right time and doing all the dirty work.

When he was called to produce offensively, he had a knack for finding ways to create points, especially in the clutch, which was needed during the Rockets’ back-to-back NBA championships.

“Big Shot Bob” then went on to win five more NBA titles during his time with the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs.

Early indications are Eason has similar levels of determination and grit, which the team hopes will lead him down a familiar path.

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Jalen Duren, Tari Eason named biggest draft steals in annual GM survey

Duren and Eason were voted as the biggest draft steals in the annual survey of NBA general managers.

Detroit Pistons forward Jalen Duren and Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason were voted as the biggest draft steals in the annual survey of NBA general managers released on Tuesday.

The executives voted on a total of 50 questions, including three regarding the incoming rookie class. They voted on several other categories, from the NBA MVP to the Sixth Man of the Year, and could not vote for their own players or team personnel.

The Pistons selected Duren with the 13th pick in the draft from Memphis. He was considered by some to be a high lottery pick before falling to the Pistons. He was tied for the most votes with Eason, who was taken four picks after him.

Which rookie was the biggest steal where he was selected in the draft?

  1. Jalen Duren (13), Detroit – 14%
  2. Tari Eason (17), Houston – 14%
  3. A.J. Griffin (16), Atlanta – 10%
  4. Shaedon Sharpe (7), Portland – 10%
  5. Jaden Ivey (5), Detroit – 7%
  6. Keegan Murray (4), Sacramento – 7%
  7. Jalen Williams (12), Oklahoma City – 7%

Duren had a strong run in the Las Vegas Summer League before the Pistons shut him down after three games. He finished averaging 11.3 points, 3.3 rebounds two assists and one blocked shot on 65% shooting from the field. He had his best game on July 9 with 13 points and six rebounds.

Eason was named to the all-summer league first team after averaging 17.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, 1.8 steals, 1.6 assists and one blocked shot in five games. He led all players in rebounding and double-doubles (4) from Las Vegas.

The two players, along with the rest of the top vote-getters, appear to be poised to have strong first seasons in the NBA with their respective teams. It will be fun to look back at the voting results after the season and see which individuals outperformed their draft positions.

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PHOTOS: Rockets pose for portraits at 2022-23 media day

Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Sengun, and Kevin Porter Jr. are among many #Rockets who took part in official media day photo shoots at the opening of training camp.

The first game, albeit an exhibition, of the 2022-23 Houston Rockets season took place Sunday, Oct. 2 versus San Antonio.

But for potential rising stars like Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., Kevin Porter Jr., and beyond, activities actually got started a few days before that. It all began with the Sept. 26 media day at Toyota Center, where the main event consisted of players throughout the roster responding to questions about the new season.

Media day, however, also consists of various other photography and video shoots. Some are taken by internal team sources and are used by the team in promotions throughout the season, while others are from professional photographers who can license them for use across all sorts of potential media content related to the Rockets.

From 2022-23 media day, here’s a look at images of various Rockets players captured by professional photographers from USA TODAY Sports, Getty Images, and the Associated Press.

Takeaways: Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason have dazzling debuts as Rockets blast Spurs

Jabari Smith Jr. put on a show with 21 points (6-of-8 on 3-pointers) in 24 minutes as Houston crushed San Antonio in the preseason opener. Here’s a look at postgame interviews and analysis.

In their first appearances at Toyota Center, newly drafted rookie forwards Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason were outstanding in Sunday night’s preseason opener as the Houston Rockets crushed the visiting San Antonio Spurs, 134-96 (box score).

Smith, drafted at No. 3 overall in the 2022 first round out of Auburn, started and scored 21 points in 24 minutes on 8-of-15 shooting (53.8%), including 5-of-8 (62.5%) from 3-point range. Meanwhile, Eason — drafted at No. 17 overall out of LSU — added 21 points and 9 rebounds in 19 minutes off the bench, shooting 9-of-13 (69.2%).

But, as indicated by the 38-point margin, Smith and Eason had plenty of help in the exhibition opener for both teams.

Other Sunday standouts for the Rockets included:

  • Alperen Sengun: 13 points, 5-of-6 shooting (83.3%), 5 rebounds, 3 assists in 20 minutes
  • Eric Gordon: 13 points, 3-of-5 on 3-pointers (60.0%), 2 assists in 16 minutes
  • Josh Christopher: 15 points, 6-of-9 shooting (66.7%), 3-of-4 on 3-pointers (75.0%), 4 rebounds, 4 assists in 21 minutes

Houston’s starting backcourt of Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. struggled to shoot against the Spurs, making just 6-of-21 shots (28.6%), combined. However, the Rockets were a team-high +24 and +23, respectively, in the minutes that Green and Porter played.

San Antonio was led by veteran big man Jakob Poeltl, who had 9 points (57.1% FG), 10 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 2 steals in 17 minutes. Devin Vassell scored a team-high 13 points but shot just 4-of-13 from the field (30.8%) and 1-of-7 on 3-pointers (14.3%).

Scroll on for postgame interviews and analysis. The Rockets (1-0) will resume their preseason schedule on Friday at home versus Toronto, while the Spurs (0-1) host Orlando on Thursday.

Rockets leaning on Eric Gordon as both leader and important player

Eric Gordon continues to serve as a key veteran leader for the Rockets, but he carries significant value as a player, too. “Everyone has a good attitude, and the positivity is there,” Gordon says.

LAKE CHARLES, La. — As rookie TyTy Washington made his way up the left side of the court with the basketball, the rest of his teammates — including Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., Eric Gordon, and Jae’Sean Tate — were waiting on Washington to make his move to get the offense started. Along with Green and Smith, he overloaded one side as Tate and Gordon made their way to the opposite.

Washington drove toward the baseline and kicked the ball to Tate. Without hesitation, he passed it to a wide-open Gordon, who hoisted the shot, without delay, over Josh Christopher’s outstretched arms.

The result went as Gordon, his teammates, and the Houston coaching staff all expected. Swoosh.

The 14-year NBA veteran then sprinted back down the court with a stoic look and a “business as usual” vibe.

Gordon, 33, knows his presence and leadership will be needed this year with the surplus of young talent the Rockets have.

“It is going to be a day-to-day, month-to-month, year-in, year-out process,” Gordon said about helping his youthful teammates navigate through the NBA season. “When you have a young team, guys are always trying to establish themselves in this league, and we have to establish ourselves as a team to grow. Everybody is still finding each other. Everyone has a good attitude, and the positivity is there.”

What his young teammates lack in experience, they make up for in talent. That’s something that stands out to Gordon, who played with four players last season under the age of 21 and now has three more teammates, Smith, Washington and Tari Eason, who are the same.

“We do have some really athletic guys,” said Gordon. “This is definitely one of the more athletic younger teams that I have seen or been around. Tari (Eason) adds that. TyTy (Washington) has sneaky athleticism, and Jabari (Smith) already has length and size. We just have to use it and use it collectively together, and we will be OK.”

Rockets head coach Stephen Silas loves what Gordon brings in leadership, but he also recognizes he is still an excellent player on the court. Last season, Gordon averaged 13.4 points (47.5% FG, 41.2% on 3-pointers) and 2.7 assists in 29.3 minutes per game.

“When he turns the corner, he’s got those big shoulders and he finishes and everybody’s like, ‘There’s Eric,’” Silas said at training camp. “If he’s defending the post, he’s like, ‘I don’t need any help.’’ Or on the perimeter, ‘I don’t need any help.’ But there are things that guys are like, ‘That’s just what he does.’”

Gordon will probably be limited in minutes when the Rockets open their preseason on Sunday versus San Antonio at Toyota Center. Silas has yet to tip his hand on whether Gordon or Tate will be the fifth starter surrounding Green, Porter, Smith and Alperen Sengun.

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VIDEOS: 2022-23 Houston Rockets media day interviews

If you missed any of Monday’s media day sessions from #Rockets players and executives at Toyota Center, here’s a video roundup courtesy of the @JTGatlin YouTube channel.

With training camp opening Tuesday morning in Lake Charles, Louisiana, the Rockets held their annual media day with players and coaches on Monday at Toyota Center in downtown Houston.

Interview guests included general manager Rafael Stone, head coach Stephen Silas, and players such as Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, Eric Gordon, Jae’Sean Tate, KJ Martin, Boban Marjanovic, Jabari Smith Jr., Kevin Porter Jr., Tari Eason, and Josh Christopher.

We’ve had news stories throughout the day here at Rockets Wire, and our Brian Barefield will be on the scene in Lake Charles for training camp coverage over the following two days.

But for those who want to listen to the individual interviews, themselves, here’s a video compilation (via Jackson Gatlin’s exclusive YouTube channel) of Monday’s sessions from media day. More players will be made available during training camp.

Camp takes place in Lake Charles through Thursday. The Rockets will transition back to Houston on Friday and practice Saturday before opening exhibition play at home Sunday versus San Antonio.

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