Rockets Get Reinforcements For Christmas

The Houston Rockets won their Christmas Day clash against the Los Angeles Lakers 119-96. The team’s performance made for quite a present to Rockets fans. The blow-out win wasn’t even necessarily the best part of it, though. The Rockets got two much-needed reinforcements as two players returned from injuries.

Rockets Get Reinforcements For Christmas

The Long-Awaited Debut

One return from injury wasn’t actually a return per se. It was a long-awaited debut, as fans got the first glimpse of Dorian Finney-Smith in a Rockets jersey.

Finney-Smith was a free agency addition meant to shore up the Rockets’ perimeter shooting. His strong defensive reputation also fits nicely with head coach Ime Udoka’s priorities. Given that, the 3-and-D forward seemed like a strong early candidate for Houston’s fifth starting spot.

Finney-Smith played just 13 minutes off the bench in this game, though. He took a single shot – a decently open three – which he missed rather badly. His only other counting stat was a defensive foul on Luka Doncic during a botched double team.

It’s impossible to know how long it will take for Finney-Smith’s role in the rotation to settle. Even fully healthy, his playing style isn’t one that typically draws the eye. Don’t be surprised if his having a thirty-minute-a-night starter role sneaks up on you.

Eason Rocks Out In Rockets Return

The Rockets’ other returning player is never shy to make a strong impression. Six-f00t-eight wrecking ball forward Tari Eason started in his first game back after a 14-game absence. He played 26 minutes. In that time, he scored 13 points, had three rebounds, two assists, and a perfectly in-character four steals and two blocks (to go with a game-leading four fouls).