Tari Eason’s value for Rockets extends beyond the tracking data

Tari Eason has become an unheralded player. Such is life for “glue guys” in the NBA. They do things that don’t always show up on the stat sheet.

They impact the game without always impacting the box score.

Fans tend to overlook them at times. And front offices underestimate their value.

This sums up Eason’s situation quite well.

Last summer, the Rockets brass went on a spending spree. Everyone seemingly got paid.

Eason was the lone exception.

He’ll be hitting restricted free agency, which isn’t a card that Rockets GM Rafael Stone plays often.

Not even to Kevin Porter Jr., who wasn’t even one of his own draft selections.

Eason has taken it personal. Seemingly.

In his own way.

He doesn’t post gaudy stats. Or try to drop 40 points every night.

His game is all predicated on effort. On both ends.

Recently, he’s been making clutch plays with the game on the line.

Winning plays, if you will.

Take the Phoenix Suns game, for example. Kevin Durant hitting the game winning shot and gesturing for the Suns to go home dominated the headlines.

But the outcome quite possibly would’ve been different if Eason hadn’t clamped down Devin Booker defensively on the previous possession.

Booker credited Eason’s defense without even mentioning him.

“I lost the ball a little bit on the pick up, which forced me to shoot it long.”

Eason was draped all over him. Booker didn’t have to mention him.

We knew.

In Houston’s very next game against Portland, they found themselves in a similar situation.

An ugly game that they were trying to pull out late.

Eason made winning plays once more down the stretch that didn’t show up on the box score, scrapping to get the Rockets an extra possession and opportunity to score with five seconds left on the clock, by hustling after the ball on Portland’s inbounds pass.

After a successful outcome on a challenge, Houston drew up a play for Kevin Durant, who missed the shot.

Once again came Eason, hustling after the ball, this time for a putback bucket of his own that would’ve won the game.

Unfortunately, he let it off just a tenth of a second too late.

But his hustle and effort was excellent.

Chalk it up to his never-ending motor, which doesn’t show up on the box score or stat sheet.

What does show up on the box score, unfortunately for Eason, is games missed. It’s why he and the Rockets were unable to reach terms on a new deal.

Eason is out of the lineup a considerable bit.

He’s already missed 99 games in his short-lived NBA career. In fact, he’s currently out of commission with his second injury of the season, although this one is considered relatively minor.

At least in comparison to his earlier injury, which caused him to miss a little over a month of action, to the tune of 14 games.