Houston Rockets: 2019-2020 season player grades

Houston Rockets grade: Robert Covington

After being acquired by the Rockets in early February, Robert Covington made an immediate impact in Houston. In his first game as a Rocket, Covington scored 14 points, including two clutch fourth-quarter 3-pointers, and pulled down eight boards to help Houston beat the Lakers.

After his impressive Rockets debut, Covington played a huge role as a 3-and-D wing in the Rockets small-ball system for the rest of the regular season and postseason.

During the regular season, Covington did not disappoint as he played his role at an extremely high level. Overall, Covington averaged 11.6 points, eight rebounds, 1.6 steals, and 2.2 blocks for Houston.

But Covington took his game to another level in the postseason. Covington averaged 11.2 points per game in the postseason and was nearly automatic from behind the arc, shooting 50 percent from 3-point range.

Covington also played a huge role on defense to make up for the Rockets’ lack of size. Covington’s hands were extremely active, leading to him averaging 2.5 steals per game in the playoffs. Covington also blocked his fair share of shots despite only being 6-foot-7.

Without Covington’s efforts on both ends of the floor, Houston would not have gotten past the first round of the playoffs.

Despite only being with Houston for less than half of the season, Covington’s impact was huge. He elevated the Rockets team to another level and will be a key part of the team’s future.

Season Grade: A