Houston Rockets: 3 goals for P.J. Tucker in the 2019-20 season

1. Make an All-Defensive Team

For everything that Tucker brings to the game, perhaps his most valuable skill to the Houston Rockets is his defense. Every team needs a wing stopper, and Tucker fills that roll brilliantly for Houston.

While defense is really important in the regular season, Tucker’s value really shines in the playoffs. Although Houston came up short twice against Golden State in the postseason, Tucker defended Kevin Durant as well as anyone could ask in each series. Assuming the Rockets face the Lakers and/or Clippers in next year’s playoffs, Tucker’s defense will be instrumental in making LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George work hard for every bucket they score.

Even though Tucker is undoubtedly one of the league’s premier defenders, he has never made the NBA’s All-Defensive First or Second Team. While there are a lot of very talented defensive forwards in the league, Tucker’s on-ball defense and versatility makes him a force to be reckoned with. Of the forwards that didn’t make an All-Defensive team last year, Tucker received the most total votes and finished just one behind Kawhi Leonard, who made the All-Defensive Second Team.

Tucker is now into his mid-30s, so his window as an elite defender is closing, but hopefully he can make an All-Defensive team for the first time next season.