The Houston Rockets’ season ended Friday night with a 98-78 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 6 of their Western Conference first-round series at Toyota Center in Houston.
After the elimination, Tari Eason delivered an emotional and uncertain reflection on both the game and his future.
“It’s tough, man. We rallied back in a very unconventional situation. We fought. I’m proud of us. I’m proud of the young guys. I’m proud of everybody else, 1 through 15. Yeah, it’s a lot of emotions.”
The conversation quickly shifted to his impending free agency, where Eason acknowledged the topic without committing to any direction.
“It’s tough to say. I didn’t think about it. I mean, you definitely think about it. But I was drafted here. I’ve grown up here. My family’s here. I love Houston. As far as everything else, God knows.”
On the offensive struggles that defined the series, Eason pointed to execution and shot quality under pressure.
“Degree of difficulty in shots. Passing out of double teams, just being more aware, being solid. The two games before here were good. But it’s hard to sustain over a seven game series.”
Eason also highlighted his personal growth across the season, focusing on how he handled fluctuations in performance.
“Just my maturity. My ability to deal with the ebbs and flows of a basketball season. Shooting slumps, personal things, all types of things.”
Despite the loss, he emphasized the group’s response to adversity during the series.
“Especially these last three games, we really came together. Even though tonight wasn’t the outcome that we wanted, we came together as a group. We banded together, trusted each other, fought for each other.”
He also underlined the intensity required in the postseason compared to the regular season.
“Just the intensity that you have to play with every game. Every possession matters a little more. Every game definitely matters more.”
When asked again about his future, Eason remained uncertain but direct.
“God knows, my brother. God knows.”
He described the postgame atmosphere as emotional but unified despite the defeat.
“Everyone was upset obviously, but everyone was just thanking everyone for the season. We had a good season.”
Eason also reflected on teammate Kevin Durant’s influence throughout the year.
“Kevin’s been a really great teammate… I definitely think I found a brother in KD.”
The Rockets now face an offseason defined by roster decisions, development questions, and uncertainty surrounding key contributors like Eason.
