On December 22, 2024, the Rockets were going strong. Their 19-9 record put them third in the West, behind only the Thunder and Grizzlies. They were exceeding preseason projections and appeared to be a team that would be into the competitive window earlier than most people had thought. When he started his fourth season, Jalen Green looked like the breakout talent Houston had hoped to see, and Alperen Sengun was off to a great start.
Amen Thompson Impact
The core of Houston wasn’t necessarily lacking anything. Their team had all the makings of a team eager to move past the rebuilding label and aim for some postseason success.
Amen Thompson has only started two of the 28 games at that point. At 26.8 MPG, he was consistently scoring 11.8 points and pulling down 6.8 rebounds a game. After Thompson was added to the starting lineup by coach Ime Udoka, it became clear that the Rockets had another up-and-coming young star in the mix.
Thompson has averaging 17.2 points, 10.3 rebounds, 1.8 steals, and 1.6 blocks per game in his 18 games since December 23. He has started all but one of those games.
Although his influence on the box score is clear, a viewing of the movie reveals that Thompson is frightening opponents on both ends of the court.
Given that opponents already have to contend with players like Green and Tari Eason, Thompson’s exceptional athleticism is not only beginning to be unlocked but is being harnessed in a way that will be difficult for them to handle.
Thompson’s role expansion
On the surface, it may not appear that Thompson’s role expansion has had a significant impact, but that is merely the case. In January, the Rockets faced the most difficult NBA schedule according to SOS, and in two of their last three games, they have traveled to play the Grizzlies and Knicks. In recent weeks, they have also defeated the Celtics on the road and defeated Cleveland twice.
Houston now has another matchup nightmare at its disposal thanks to Thompson’s quick ascent from spark off the bench to rising star. Oklahoma City is leading the Western gauntlet, but the Grizzlies and Nuggets are also very much in the mix. The pool in the West is only made deeper by the Lakers’ blockbuster trade of Luka Dončić, which added another superstar.
However, Thompson’s performance during the past month, with potential for even greater growth, gives the Rockets hope that they have the elements to be a formidable team come postseason time.
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