Houston Rockets: 3 takeaways from Game 5 vs. Jazz

3. P.J. Tucker is knocking down 3-pointers again

In spite of being known primarily for being a lockdown defender out on the wing, P.J. Tucker had yet to find his rhythm from beyond the arc in the opening round of the 2018 NBA Playoffs.

However, the 33-year-old forward has recently shown signs of life over the last five games, making several huge corner triples for the Rockets. He also canned two 3-pointers from above the break in pick-and-roll sets with Chris Paul in the early part of the third quarter, which proved to be timely later on in the contest.

Tucker — who shot 39 percent from long range in Houston’s first round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves  — is currently shooting 52 percent over his last five games, and went 7-for-9 overall from the field en route to scoring 19 points in Game 5.

"“He’s just an unbelievable teammate,” Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni said in his press conference when asked about Tucker’s offensive exploits. “He’s just all about winning. He doesn’t care if he gets two points or every point. It doesn’t matter. He just wants to win, and he does the little things like taking charges and going after loose balls. “You have to have players like that.”"

Although most Rockets fans might wonder how long Tucker’s hot streak will last moving forward, the former Texas Longhorn standout has found a way to shoot with confidence throughout the second half of the season. He’s taking advantage of the wide open looks he draws off of double-teams thanks to Chris Paul and James Harden, and is consistently knocking them down.

As the player who finished the regular season with the third-best shooting percentage from deep on Houston’s roster, Tucker has proven to be the unsung hero for Clutch City at the right time.