Since returning from a stress reaction in his lower left leg suffered during the 2023-24 preseason, second-year Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason has missed occasional games while also having his minutes slightly limited in games he is available to play.
The team has frequently listed Eason as questionable to play; head coach Ime Udoka often refers to it as an issue of pain tolerance that is evaluated on a day-by-day basis.
But starting Jan. 3, Eason hasn’t played in Houston’s last five contests. Prior to Wednesday’s game against the Chicago Bulls, Udoka acknowledged that the circumstances have changed. The team has opted to give Eason a more prolonged period of rest in hopes of making him more consistently available for the rest of the 2023-24 season.
Regarding Eason and his current status, here’s what Udoka said, via Adam Spolane of SportsRadio 610:
We are giving (him) a chance to rest and really heal up a little bit. Instead of the back and forth, on and off games, decided to give him a certain amount of time, I’m not sure what that is yet, but a week or so, two weeks or so, whatever it takes to calm down, and then from there we can try to manage it better throughout the season.
He’s been itching to get out there, and even when he played, he played with some pain. But, he played well. So, for him, it’s helping him (and) saving him from himself. … because he wants to play every game and doesn’t want to be on a minute restriction.
I think he was fabricating the amount of pain he was in. He was feeling a little bit more (pain) than what he said, but we told him to be honest and look at this like a marathon … and try to get him right for the home stretch.
Udoka acknowledged progress for veteran wing Dillon Brooks, who hasn’t played since straining his right oblique on Dec. 27.
In speaking to Matt Thomas of SportsTalk 790, Udoka offered hope that Brooks could return before Houston’s current road trip concludes on Wednesday in New York.
Regarding Brooks, Udoka said:
Dillon is starting to ramp it up a little bit more. He had been doing spot shooting, but certain movements were still bothering him.
I think he’s ramping it up and getting into some live action, soon, so we’re hoping to get him back within the next few games … to finish out this road trip.
The complete SportsTalk 790 interview can be listened to below.
