The Houston Rockets posted a surprising 15-15 record in the 2023 portion of last season. Their 9–19 swoon across the subsequent three months can be traced back to one absence in particular.
Give Tari Eason significant minutes, and Houston plays winning basketball (plus-9.3 points per 100 possessions with Eason on the floor last season). His season-ending leg injury eliminated not only a dogged defender from coach Ime Udoka's lineup, but an offensive connector with a burgeoning two-way skill set. Luckily for Udoka and Co., Eason's absence from the lineup shouldn't extend into next season.