Tari Eason Should be in Rockets' Starting Lineup Regardless of Kevin Durant's Status

Tari Eason gives the Houston Rockets the best chance at slowing down LeBron James.

Apr 18, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason (17) is defended by Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura (28) in the second half during game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The playoffs kicked off this weekend, following Friday's playoff games. The Rockets knew since Sunday evening that they would travel to Los Angeles to face the Lakers in Games 1 and 2.

The Rockets also knew they would be facing a Lakers team without two of its three best players in Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic. Many believed the game gave the Rockets the advantage in the series, leading most predictions to have the Rockets winning in six games or fewer.

That was before news dropped Friday that Kevin Durant's status was moved to Questionable for Saturday's Game 1 with a knee contusion. His status for the game remained uncertain until game time, when the Rockets announced the future Hall of Famer would miss Game 1.

Durant had only missed four games all season, and only one of those four was due to injury. That changed the entire complexion of Game 1, as the Rockets had to shift their starting lineup, adding Josh Okogie and Reed Sheppard.

The role of primary defender on LeBron James fell to Okogie throughout the game, but for the most part, it didn't go well, as James carved up the Rockets' defense early with his passing, finishing with 8 assists and 13 total.

When he wasn't setting up his teammates, like Luke Kennard who went 5-5 from 3-point range he was taking the ball to the basket and posting up the smaller Okogie, as he also finished with 19 points and a near triple-double. Of course,, not all 19 points were against Okogie, but his fast start to the game came with Okogie as the main defender on James.

The defender who had the most success against James on Saturday and guarded him for the second-most minutes was Tari Eason. Eason was also the 'Rockets' best shooter throughout the game,, and those two areas are the reason Eason should start Game 2.

Rockets should move Tari Eason into the starting lineup for Tuesday's Game 2

Throughout his NBA career, Eason has been known for two things. All out hustle and a tough defender. Those two qualities are sorely needed by a Rockets team that could be without Durant for a second straight game.

Okogie is a good on-ball defender, but at 6’4 213 pounds, he is not able to keep the 6’9 250-pound James out of the paint. Honestly, no player can completely neutralize James, but Eason at 6’8 215 has a much better chance than anyone else on the team.

James doesn't rely on his athleticism like he used to to affect the outcome of the game; he uses his basketball IQ and operates a alot more in the paint, so you need someone who can match his physicality.

As mentioned above, James finished with a near triple-double, including 19 points. James shot 9-15 from the field and controlled the game throughout. James shot a perfect 6-for-6 against everyone but Tari Eason and Aaron Holiday. James went 0-2 against Holiday and only 3-7 against Eason.

Eason guarded him for the second most minutes on Saturday and was able to make life a little bit more difficult on the offensive end for James. To go along with his good defense, Eason was also the Rockets' best shooter on the night, finishing 7-7 from the field, including 2-2 from 3-point range.

The 7-7 from the field is even more remarkable considering the Rockets shot a horrid 37.6 percent from the field and even worse, 33.3 percent from downtown. Factor in Eason's defense and hot shooting from Game 1, which should lead the Rockets to make a change for Game 2 by putting Eason in the starting lineup regardless if Durant is back or not.