The Rockets are about to play a game against the Philadelphia 76ers, a powerhouse in the East. Although the 76ers' Embiid and Batum are unavailable due to injury, the Rockets are also facing the absence of key players. According to the Rockets, forwards Jabari Smith and Brooks will miss the next game due to injury, which means they will need to reshuffle their starting lineup. In the last game, while Jabari Smith was still available, Brooks was unable to play due to injury, leading coach Udoka to include backup forward Jessian Tate in the starting lineup.
However, Tate was mediocre in the game, failing to make much of a difference on either the scoring end or the defensive end. Under Tate's defense, the Suns' Durant hit a triple-double of 27 points, 16 assists and 10 rebounds. In the next game, the Rockets lost their main forward Jabari Smith again, and he will inevitably not be able to play in the next game. So, who will replace Smith as the Rockets' new starting power forward?
Tarison appears to be the best candidate, but his availability for the next game is still in doubt. If Eason is able to play, then he would be the most reasonable starting option for the Rockets. Of course, if Eason is unavailable, the Rockets still have two starting lineups for Udoka to choose from. The first is a twin-tower lineup that pairs Shin Kyung with backup center Jeff Green. Shin Kyung and Jeff Green both have outside shooting ability and are both good at protecting the basket, while veteran Jeff Green still plays a role in the Rockets' rotation to this day.
When needed, he and Shin Kyung can form the Rockets' starting twin tower combination. This is the Rockets' second starting lineup selection. The third starting lineup is to let rookie Whitmore replace Smith as power forward, although he is slightly lacking in height, but his strong physical condition makes him more solid than Jabari Smith Jr., and Whitmore will work more often on the inside, in addition to penetrating, he is also quite good on the inside.
The Rockets plan to have Whitmore and three other players in the outside starting lineup in Alperen's single-list, with one big and four small. That lineup selection looks quite reasonable, especially given whether Ethan will be able to play. If the Rockets can field a lineup of one big and four small, they will undoubtedly show great strength. Whether Eason is able to play in the game will directly affect how Udoka will configure the starting lineup, and Ethan's form will also directly affect the Rockets' roster arrangement.
Therefore, there are indications that in the next game, Eason or Whitmore will be the main power forward of the Rockets, forming a new starting lineup of one big four and small, which is the most likely.