Highlights:
So far it feels like Tucker had a pretty pedestrian season, but there were some special moments as well, even in such an up and down season.
On Feb. 19, Tucker scored a season high 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting while also pulling down six rebounds. He made four of his seven three-point attempts and also had three steals, making him one of the few players who showed up in that loss to the Chicago Bulls.
Two weeks later, he matched his season high with another 20 points against the Miami Heat in Phoenix’s first game against Goran Dragic. It was a blowout loss, but after Alex Len was ejected, Tucker stepped up to the best of his abilities playing center. He finished the game with a season high 14 rebounds in 41 minutes.
There were the less memorable games too, where Tucker’s contributions often went unnoticed. In that Wizards game we mentioned earlier, Tucker had 12 points and 10 rebounds, with 10 of his points coming in the fourth to help the Suns hang on after they surrendered a big lead (as they often did this season).
Two weeks earlier, in a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, Tucker secured a clutch offensive rebound with 26 seconds left that forced the Cavs to foul, trailing by three. Tucker iced the game at the foul line.
After the roster turnover of the trade deadline, Tucker was one of the few stabilizing presences amidst all the turmoil. He averaged 11.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game for the month of March, including two double-doubles and 11 double-digit scoring games. Tucker was also only one rebound away from a double-double three separate times in March.
Next: Final Grade