Rockets get devastating update on Tari Eason injury

The Houston Rockets have sadly gotten used to life without Tari Eason. After Friday's injury, it's being reported that they'll be without him for 4-to-6 weeks.

This time, it's a strained oblique. It's been an unfortunate trend in Eason's career. He's been having a fantastic season, and now he's facing another roadblock.

It could present challenges for the Rockets as well.

The Rockets will be without a key player

It's surprising to say, but the Rockets may miss Eason's shooting the most this season. He's hitting a remarkable 50.9% of his 4.9 three-point attempts per game.

The Rockets' approach to three-point shooting this year has been notable. They're leading the NBA in three-point accuracy, but at the bottom of the league in attempts. So, it would be fair to say they can't spare Eason's shooting, even if his career-high accuracy was always likely to drop.

Yet, it may be Eason's relentless energy that remains most valuable. He's endeared himself to Rockets fans for years with that quality. Now, they'll have to replace him.

Will that even be possible?

Rockets will need to survive Eason's absence

Well, a clear timeline on Dorian Finney-Smith would certainly help provide some clarity on the game plan.

He's not an identical player to Eason, but he's similar. From a rotational perspective, Finney-Smith would be a readymade replacement for Eason.

It's a moot point. We don't know when Finney-Smith will return. So, that's not a viable path to replacing Eason's production.

For the time being, look for Josh Okogie's minutes to increase. He's playing 22.6 minutes per night as of now. That's likely to climb up 4-5 minutes per game in Eason's absence.

If Okogie is going to shift to the frontcourt, someone will have to fill his void in the backcourt. That might be Aaron Holiday. Rockets fans won't be excited, but Holiday is at least a steady hand.

Is that really a strong plan to replace Eason?

Nobody can replace Tari Eason

No.

There is no plan. The closest thing to a plan is to tread water until Eason returns in 4-6 weeks.

The Rockets can do that. They should be able to beat low-end playoff teams and destroy lottery groups. When they play fellow contenders, they'll feel Eason's absence the most. The Rockets may lose some games they'd have otherwise secured.

That's life in the NBA. Injuries are a part of the game. Nobody needs to tell Eason that:

We can only hope he gets back as soon as (safely) possible.