Rockets' Amen Thompson: Triple-doubles in season finale
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Thompson recorded 18 points (8-9 FG, 2-3 FT), 11 rebounds, 10 assists, three blocks and three steals in 40 minutes during Sunday's 116-105 win over the Clippers.
Thompson finished the regular season with a bang, posting his first career triple-double. The Rockets were missing a couple key players Sunday, so Thompson was able to show what he could do with increased usage. His rookie season was full of promise, and Thompson finished the campaign with averages of 9.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.3 steals on 53.7 percent shooting from the field.
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Rockets' Amen Thompson: Logs 12th double-double of season
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Thompson chipped in 17 points (6-12 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 5-6 FT), 15 rebounds and six assists in 35 minutes during Friday's 116-107 victory over the Trail Blazers.
Thompson has followed a similar arc to Jabari Smith last season, in which a promising rookie began to see increased numbers as the season ended. The 2023 first-round pick is arguably one of the most versatile options on the roster. His 6-foot-7 frame helps him provide defensive aggressiveness in the paint, and he complements that skill set with solid numbers on the other side of the ball. Depending on Houston's off-season moves, Thompson could be poised for a breakout sophomore campaign.
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Rockets' Amen Thompson: Posts double-double
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Thompson closed with 15 points (6-12 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 3-4 FT), 10 rebounds, four assists and two steals over 35 minutes during Thursday's 124-121 loss to the Jazz.
Thompson recorded his first double-double since March 29 and 11th of the campaign, an impressive tally for a rookie who's not a frontcourt player. Thompson still needs to grow into his game, but the upside is evident. He has the potential to be an elite fantasy option due to his ability to fill the stat sheet on any given night.
Thompson was ejected after picking up a Flagrant 2 foul in the first quarter of Sunday's game against Dallas, Michael Shapiro of SI.com reports. Thompson finished with five points (1-1 FG, 3-3 FT), three rebounds and three assists in eight minutes.
Thompson got into a scuffle with Maxi Kleber under the basket with four minutes remaining in the first quarter of Sunday's game, and Thompson was ejected upon review of the play. Initially jockeying for position while away from the ball, Thompson then squared up and brought his forearm to Kleber's neck region -- a thoroughly enforced aspect of officiating where unnecessary contact leads to ejections.
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Rockets' Amen Thompson: Gets green light
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Thompson (ankle/finger) is available and will start Sunday's game against the Mavericks.
As expected, Thompson has been upgraded from probable to available and will return to the starting lineup after a one-game absence. Jeff Green will return to the bench. Over his last 14 appearances (12 starts), Thompson has averaged 14.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.6 blocks in 28.1 minutes per game.
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Rockets' Amen Thompson: Probable for Sunday
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Thompson (ankle/finger) is probable for Sunday's game against the Mavericks.
Thompson is expected back in the lineup after sitting out Friday's game against the Heat. Thompson has produced averages of 9.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.2 steals over his last 10 games.
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Rockets' Amen Thompson: Out Friday with two injuries
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Thompson has been ruled out for Friday's game against the Heat with a left ankle sprain and a right fifth finger tendon injury.
The finger issue is a new concern for Thompson, whose status heading into Friday was already uncertain after he rolled his left ankle in the final minutes of Thursday's 119-104 loss to Golden State. The ankle injury still looks to be the greater concern for Thompson, and with the Rockets' hopes of securing a spot in the Western Conference Play-In Tournament beginning to fade, the team could take a cautious approach with the prized rookie heading into the final week of the regular season. Thompson has thrived since Alperen Sengun (ankle/knee) went down with an injury in early March, averaging 14.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.6 blocks in 28.1 minutes over his last 14 appearances (12 starts). Cam Whitmore, Aaron Holiday and Jeff Green are candidates for increased playing time Friday in Thompson's absence.
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Rockets' Amen Thompson: Rolls left ankle Thursday
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Thompson appeared to roll his left ankle during Thursday's 133-110 loss to Golden State and left the game for good with 4:44 remaining in the fourth quarter, Jackson Gatlin of the Locked On Podcast Network reports. He finished with eight points (3-7 FG, 2-3 FT), four rebounds, one assist and one steal in 30 minutes.
Thompson had a slight limp on his way to the locker room, but he was able to walk under his own power. Houston's chances of securing a spot in the Western Conference Play-In Tournament took a major hit with Thursday's loss, so the Rockets could be extra cautious if Thompson isn't 100 percent for Friday's game against the Heat. For now, the rookie can be considered questionable for that contest.
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Rockets' Amen Thompson: Second straight double-double
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Thompson finished with 18 points (6-12 FG, 6-8 FT), 14 rebounds, five assists, one block and two steals across 40 minutes during Friday's 101-100 win over the Jazz.
Thompson is making the most of the opportunity to start and posted his second consecutive double-double. The rookie has started in each of Houston's last nine contests, averaging 15.9 points, 9.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.3 blocks per game in that stretch. Fantasy managers will certainly hope for Thompson to continue racking up stats as the end of the regular season approaches.
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Rockets' Amen Thompson: Records monster double-double
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Thompson had 25 points (10-18 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 5-6 FT), 15 rebounds, four assists and one steal in 39 minutes during Wednesday's 132-126 overtime win over the Thunder.
Thompson moved to the starting lineup on March 12 and has looked productive, showing the ability to make an impact on both ends of the court. He has three double-doubles in his last eight starts, and he should remain a reliable two-way presence for an on-the-rise Rockets team. Thompson is averaging 15.4 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.1 steals per game during Houston's ongoing 10-game winning streak.
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Rockets' Amen Thompson: Conjures double-double against Wiz
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Thompson produced 20 points (9-11 FG, 2-2 FT), 10 rebounds, four assists and three steals across 28 minutes during Thursday's 135-119 win over Washington.
It was the rookie forward's seventh double-double of the season, five of which have come since the beginning of February. Thompson has been in and out of the starting lineup during that time, but with Alperen Sengun (ankle) likely done for the rest of the regular season, Houston will be leaning a little more heavily on him down the stretch. The fourth overall pick in the 2023 Draft, Thompson has averaged 12.6 points, 10.9 boards, 3.9 assists and 1.8 steals as a starter.
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Rockets' Amen Thompson: Joins starting five
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Thompson will join the starting lineup for Tuesday's game against the Spurs, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reports.
With Alperen Sengun (ankle) sidelined indefinitely, the Rockets are sliding Jabari Smith over to center which opens things up for Thompson in smaller lineups. Thompson has struggled with consistency and efficiency, but his ability to contribute in multiple categories makes him very appealing for the final stretch.
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Rockets' Amen Thompson: Scores 22 points off bench
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Thompson chipped in 22 points (9-13 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 3-5 FT), five rebounds, four assists and three blocks across 28 minutes during Thursday's 127-105 loss to the Pelicans.
Thompson moved to the bench after starting in each of Houston's last five games before the All-Star break, but the move to the second unit didn't translate into a decline in production. Thompson has scored in double digits in five of his seven February appearances, a span in which he's averaging 13.6 points, 9.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game.
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Rockets' Amen Thompson: Moving back to bench
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Rockets head coach Ime Udoka implied that Thompson will head to the bench for Thursday's game against the Pelicans, Adam Spolane of Sports Radio 610 Houston reports.
With Fred VanVleet (adductor) getting a clean bill of health after missing the Rockets' last five games before the All-Star break, he'll take back his familiar spot in the starting five at point guard, resulting in Thompson being the odd man out. The rookie lottery pick showed well in his five-game run with the top unit, averaging 12.0 points, 11.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.8 blocks in 34.2 minutes while shooting 59.2 percent from the field. Thompson will see a steep reduction in playing time now that he's no longer starting, though his solid play as a replacement for VanVleet could at least earn him more minutes on the wing than he had been seeing before VanVleet's absence.
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Rockets' Amen Thompson: Double-double in Memphis
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Thompson ended with 19 points (9-17 FG, 1-3 FT), 12 rebounds, two assists, one block and two steals over 34 minutes before fouling out of Wednesday's 121-113 loss to the Grizzlies.
The rookie made his fifth straight start and produced his fifth double-double of the season, with three of them coming during that stretch. Thompson is flashing the upside expected of him when the Rockets made him the fourth overall pick in the 2023 Draft, and over the last eight contests he's averaging 12.1 points, 9.8 boards, 3.3 assists and 1.6 steals while shooting 58.1 percent from the floor.
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Rockets' Amen Thompson: Slides back to bench
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Thompson won't start Wednesday's game against the Trail Blazers, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reports.
As expected, Thompson will rejoin the reserves with Fred VanVleet back in action following a one-game absence. Even with VanVleet healthy, expect Thompson to handle a significant workload off the bench considering the Rockets are down Jabari Smith (ankle), Tari Eason (lower leg) and Jae'Sean Tate (wrist)
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Rockets' Amen Thompson: Double-double with 14 boards
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Thompson recorded 15 points (5-10 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 5-6 FT), 14 rebounds, five assists and one steal in 32 minutes during Sunday's 116-107 loss to the Celtics.
Thompson was active on the glass in what was the first start of his NBA career, and even though the Rockets came up short against the Celtics, Thompson showed strong qualities and above-average two-way instincts. His role in the short term will be tied to Fred VanVleet's availability, as the veteran guard was sidelined Sunday due to back soreness, meaning Thompson could remain in the starting lineup to face the Trail Blazers on Wednesday if VanVleet can't recover in time.
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Rockets' Amen Thompson: Only 11 minutes in loss
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Thompson closed Monday's 120-113 loss to the Heat with five points (1-2 FG, 3-3 FT), two rebounds, one assist, one block and one steal across 11 minutes.
Thompson has played double-digit minutes in nine of his last 10 appearances, averaging 5.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.0 steals in 16.5 minutes per game. An ankle sprain derailed the start of his rookie season, but he's back to full strength now and looking to make a consistent impact for a Houston squad that's exceeded expectations so far, sitting in eighth place in the Western Conference with an 18-17 record.
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Rockets' Amen Thompson: Just eight minutes in return
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Thompson supplied two points (1-2 FG) and two rebounds across eight minutes during Wednesday's 134-127 loss to Atlanta.
Thompson returned to action after missing the past four games due to an illness. It's been a rough start for the rookie, as an ankle injury before the illness kept him sidelined for the majority of the campaign. His upside is clear, but it's hard to see him having any sustainable fantasy value this season.
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Rockets' Amen Thompson: Cleared to play
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Thompson (illness) is available for Wednesday's game against the Hawks, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Thompson returned to action Dec. 11 following a 15-game absence due to an ankle sprain, totaling two points, five rebounds and an assist in 10 minutes during a win over San Antonio. However, the rookie proceeded to miss four straight games due to an illness following that matchup. Thompson figures to garner a minor bench role Wednesday, which will be just his sixth appearance this season.
