The Houston Rockets defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 119-115, despite almost being overturned after leading by 24 points. However, winning is ultimately a good thing, and there is no difference between winning by 24 points or 4 points. The Rockets just need to improve on some details. Considering the absence of Smith and Ison, it was impressive that the Rockets could win against the Lakers without their two frontline players from 2022. Amen Thompson was undoubtedly the key to the Rockets' victory today, while Jalen Green was the go-to scorer, and Adams was the unexpected hero.
Jalen Green's scoring was crucial for the Rockets in the final moments of the game. Adams' offensive rebounds forced the Lakers to slow down, preventing them from launching counterattacks and holding on during a tough stretch. Meanwhile, Amen Thompson was the absolute foundation for the Rockets at both ends of the court. Defensively, he locked down James and assisted Shen Jing with defense. Offensively, he aggressively attacked the basket, finishing layups, and made second-chance putbacks. You could truly say that Amen Thompson was everywhere on the court.
After serving a two-game suspension, Amen returned to start and played 41 minutes, with Udoka not daring to take him off the court for even a minute. He had an impressive shooting record of 11 out of 19, scoring 23 points, grabbing 16 rebounds, dishing out 3 assists, and making 1 steal. In fact, James found it challenging to play one-on-one against Amen today, as the young player is incredibly skilled defensively. James faced the best defender in the league, as reported by StatMamba, Amen has limited his opponents' shooting percentage to 37.1%, the lowest in the entire league this season.
This means that Amen's individual defensive ability is already at the level of the best defender in the league. Not only James but even Harden finds it difficult to score against Amen. Perhaps Amen Thompson is the reason why the Rockets have been so strong this year. Last season, when Shen Jing was injured, Amen played the four position, and Smith played the five, leading the Rockets to an 11-game winning streak. Their roles were divided: Smith created space, Amen defended and pushed for counterattacks, Dillon guarded the flanks, Jalen Green concentrated on ball possession, and Van Jordan roamed around OB.
During last season's 11-game winning streak, the Rockets did not rely on the 15 pick-and-roll but instead played small-ball with Jalen Green as the tactical initiator. However, Smith is the key to the Rockets' spacing lineup, as Amen struggles with three-point shooting and relies on Smith to create space. In this game, Amen played the four position and did not complement Shen Jing well in terms of shooting, as both are not proficient in long-range shooting. If not for Jalen Green's sudden scoring burst in a single quarter, the Rockets' offense would have been stagnant. The Rockets really need to make some changes to their lineup during the offseason. If Amen is not promoted to the starting lineup soon, even James will be dissatisfied.
Despite the Lakers' loss today, James still gave Amen the highest praise, believing that his presence is a difficult point for the Lakers to overcome. James thinks that Udoka should perhaps place more importance on him.
James said, "Jalen Green was on fire today, and Smith and I did a good job of double-teaming him, which limited his scoring. But Amen Thompson changed the course of the game. He is almost invincible on the court, and his crucial dunk was very important for the Rockets. Amen and his brother may be the two most athletic forwards in the league. I agree with Cunningham. The Thompson brothers are unique, and the Rockets should give Amen more opportunities."
So far this season, Amen Thompson averages 12.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 1.1 blocks in 28 minutes per game, with a shooting percentage of 55.8%. His three-point shooting percentage has dropped from a high of 33% at the start of the season to 25%, which is not easy to practice. However, Amen still attempts an average of 1.4 three-pointers per game, which is actually a positive sign. Compared to Simmons, at least Amen dares to shoot three-pointers. With the best defense in the league, excellent rebounding skills, and physical talent on par with the number one draft pick, once Amen improves his three-point shooting, he will undoubtedly become the cornerstone of the Rockets. The Thompson brothers are somewhat reminiscent of the Gasol brothers, with limitless potential for the future. Moreover, Amen only takes 8.6 shots per game; if given 20 attempts, wouldn't he average a steady 20 points?