Third-year forward Tari Eason has been a defensive menace for the Houston Rockets, coming off the bench to provide a major boost.

Eason (leg) is off the injury report ahead of Thursday's game against the Grizzlies. The Rockets gave Eason the night off Tuesday against the Hawks for injury management, but the forward is all set to be available Thursday.

The Houston Rockets looked lethargic to start against the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday evening, with their late arrival after a thrilling win over the Boston Celtics from the night before clearly weighing on them.

Tari Eason is cleared to play for Houston after he spent more than a month sidelined by soreness in his surgically repaired left leg.

Struggles with shot

For the first time since Dec. 14, reserve forward Tari Eason (lower left leg soreness) is back playing for the Houston Rockets.

As of Sunday night, the Rockets are sixth in the league in net rating at +6.1. Their defense is third in the league with a defensive rating of 107.3. But the offense has now crept all the way up to eleventh league-wide with an offensive rating of 113.4. Houston is inching closer to having both a top 10 defense and offense.

In Houston’s bizarre win over Cleveland, did Tari Eason and/or broadcaster Craig Ackerman jinx Darius Garland on his late free throws? Fans think so.

In a league that requires playoff scars to survive the championship gauntlet of four playoff rounds, the Rockets have none, and any team that has been there before will reveal theirs in a seven-game series. Houston, more than any other team, is one piece away from serious title contention.

The Houston Rockets welcomed back Tari Eason to the lineup against the Sacramento Kings Friday night. Eason had missed the last 13 games due to lower leg injury

The Houston Rockets are winners of two straight games against the Cleveland Cavaliers, who held the best record in the NBA before their recent losing streak. Th

Rockets F Tari Eason is making his return tonight vs the Kings after missing more than a month. Ime Udoka said the postponement of the Rockets’ game in ATL gave Eason an extra day