No suspensions for Ime Udoka, Alperen Sengun or Tari Eason

“Just understanding the team, structure and where guys were,” VanVleet said. “As someone who’s done it already in terms of winning a championship, making an All-Star Game and things like that, most of these guys are still in their first contract, trying to check things off their goal list. It’s easier for me to set the tone of unselfishness than it would be for them.” VanVleet’s gradual evolution from professor to teaching assistant is more than an eye test. Through Dec. 1, VanVleet’s usage is down to 21.9 percent according to Cleaning the Glass, placing him in just the 37th percentile among guards. His assist percentage has also dropped from 31.2 percent to 25.2 percent (34th percentile among guards). The Rockets have been involved in 13 clutch games, with VanVleet first in minutes played but third in points and usage — and a considerable distance behind Şengün and Jalen Green (34.5 and 28.2 percent, respectively). -via New York Times / December 4, 2024

NBA Communications: Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun and New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson have been named the NBA Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for Week 6 of the 2024-25 season (Nov. 25 – Dec. 1). -via Twitter / December 2, 2024

NBA Communications: Other nominees... West: Devin Booker (PHX), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Isaiah Hartenstein (OKC), Quentin Grimes and Kyrie Irving (DAL), James Harden (LAC), Jaren Jackson Jr. and Ja Morant (MEM) and Fred VanVleet (HOU) East: Jalen Johnson (ATL), Payton Pritchard and Jayson Tatum (BOS), Dennis Schröder (BKN), Karl-Anthony Towns (NYK) and Franz Wagner (ORL) -via Twitter / December 2, 2024

A regular host and frequent guest on podcasts, and an occasional postseason performer on TNT, Green has never been shy about sharing his opinions. With Rockets guard Fred VanVleet joining Green on his podcast, Green had plenty to say about Eason. “Man, I absolutely love Tari Eason’s game,” Green said. “Every time I play against him, I come out of the game just raving about his energy and the motor that he has. The game we played against y’all last week, we were up 30 points, and his energy changed the entire game.” -via Houston Chronicle / December 5, 2024

Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason clearly heard whatever Draymond Green said from the Golden State Warriors’ bench that night. The comment made both laugh at the time, and the memory made Eason smile broadly days before the Rockets would face the Warriors on Thursday for the first time since. He declined, however, to divulge what Green called out to him that night. Days later, Eason also heard Green’s thoughts about his play and potential in a much more public setting. -via Houston Chronicle / December 5, 2024

Eason also showed outspoken candor similar to Green’s when he said he had a simple motivation for his performance against the Warriors. “I don’t like the Warriors,” he said after scoring a career-high 27 points on 11-of-19 shooting while grabbing a season-high six offensive rebounds. He repeated the sentiment Tuesday when asked about Thursday’s rematch. But he also appreciated Green’s comments about him, sending praise back. “I mean, any time you can get some recognition from a future Hall of Famer, someone who’s won in this league, that’s really dope,” Eason said. “That shows real recognizes real, winners recognize winners, dogs recognize dogs. “I just think we play a certain way, bring a certain type of intensity to our respective teams which is infectious. Obviously, he’s in a later part of his career, but he’s still huge for the Warriors in everything that he’s done for them. It’s a Hall of Fame résumé. If I could mimic some of that and bring even half of that, I’m going to have a great career.” -via Houston Chronicle / December 5, 2024