After avoiding playing Tari Eason and Steven Adams in back-to-back games, Houston Rockets coach IME Udoka both used against Phoenix Suns on Wednesday, with Eason who flourished in a 119-111 victory before a show down against Golden State Warriors on Thursday.
Both Eason and Adams will not be available against the visiting warriors in the final game for both teams before the All-Star break.
Rocket’s depth, a strong suit earlier this season, has been jeopardized by injuries and injury management, the latter is the reason for resting Eason and Adams in Back-to-backs.
Eason had 25 points, nine returns, one season’s high bond four assists and three steals against Suns. He led a balanced attack that included Jalen Green and adds 22 points, Dillon Brooks and Amen Thompson who made 18 pieces and the Alperen Sengun chipped in 17 points and 13 returns. Thompson also contributed 11 assists and 10 returns for his fourth career triple.
The rockets still remain with the absence of Fred Vanvleet (ankle) and Jabari Smith Jr. (Hand), although Smith is on the verge of returning from his six weeks of absence after the break. The constant rotational adjustments have stopped the team’s progress, but they have given the UDOKA a chance to discover additional alternatives.
“Some guys will be in different roles,” Udoka said. “When Amen started and Jabari comes back and peace gets healthy, we have had a chance to look at what guys can do in different positions.
“Hopefully Steven and Tari and these guys can come back to slopes eventually and we just continue to use our depth to try and overwhelm people. That’s what you saw early in the season, but the injuries and guys are in place sometimes affected us some. ”
Warriors lost on Wednesday for the first time since Jimmy Butler arrived at the trade deadline and fell 111-107 to the Dallas Mavericks in the fifth match in a seven-match trip which ends after the All-Star break.
The Golden State gathered from a 15-point deficit for the third quarter but could not end short-handed Dallas, and struck an opportunity at its first winning three-match since mid-November. Despite the result, Warriors gave an example of their potential with Butler who worked in collaboration with Stephen Curry, as the duo combined for 22 points for the fourth quarter to run the comeback.
“Throughout the game we only had … small mental mistakes,” said Golden State Guard Gary Payton II after the defeat. “We will have some turnover and what not, but a mental mistake can lead to a movement of shots and do, so we just have to lock in mentally … and I think we will have a good time.”
Curry finished with 25 points, five returns and eight assists, and Butler published 21 points, nine returns and seven assists. The work remains to facilitate the transition for both the players and Warriors as a whole, but the early results have been positive for a team that was idle before the seismic acquisition.
“It’s meaningful so far,” Curry said. “You see the positive effects of what Jimmy brings on both ends of the floor. He’s a high-IQ guy, a competitor. He plays under control all the time, and we’ve put pieces around him with different sets. We’re still trying Calculate it.
“It’s been good so far. I am excited to build some speed. We want to end the road trip right. We have the opportunity to do something quite special considering where we have been this season.”
-Field level media
