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Tag: amen thompson

  • Four Overreactions to the Rockets Game One Double OT Loss – Houston Press

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    It’s basketball season. It’s game one. The Rockets are hyped this year and were playing the defending champions on their ring night on national TV. So, of course there are going to be overreactions no matter what happened. But, it doesn’t mean at least some of them aren’t justified.

    Thing is, what happened is the Rockets nearly took out the champs in a double overtime thriller. If this is anything like what this season will be, well, get the antacid ready and maybe keep your cardiologist in your phone favorites.

    Fans were mostly mixed in their reactions, but the tendency to freak out definitely happens, so let’s dive into four of the notable early season panic mode narratives and whether or not they have real merit.

    Kevin Durant didn’t touch the ball enough, especially in crunch time.

    Validity: 3 out of 10

    Lou Dort is one of the league’s most tenacious defenders and he spent all night living inside Durant’s shorts. He denied him the ball over and over. Rarely will the Rockets face a defense like they did in Oklahoma City. It could be argued these are the two best defenses in basketball squaring off, so it’s no surprise they both had their struggles on offense. Undoubtedly, Durant will find his footing and begin asserting himself as the season moves along, but on one night, anyone can be shut down. Conversely, Alperen Sengun went OFF for 39, which is what happens when you have multiple studs in your lineup. This is something that will solve itself in time.

    This team still doesn’t shoot well.

    Validity: 6 out of 10

    Speaking of Sengun, not only did he hit a career five threes, but he looked absolutely comfortable taking them. If he can shoot even close to this over the course of the season, his transition to Jokic-lite may be complete. The problem is, take away Sengun’s 5-8 from downtown and you’re left with the rest of the team going 6-31 including 0-11 from Durant and Amen Thompson, who launched 7 threes. Reed Sheppard went 2-7 and Jabari Smith, Jr. 2-6. Tari Eason, 1-4, in a particularly bad outing for him.

    Some of these numbers will improve. Durant is a good distance shooter and Smith should be solid again this season. The jury is out on Sheppard (more on that in a minute) and Eason. Anything we get from Thompson is gravy. But, this is still a team that will rely on offensive rebounding and defense to win games. If anyone thought they would suddenly vault to the top 10 in shooting, they were fooling themselves, especially against a team as good as the Thunder.

    Reed Sheppard is a bust.

    Validity: 4 out of 10

    We can all agree the 2024 draft was…well…not great. Sheppard was drafted third to a team that didn’t really need another rookie, but hoped he could become a solid point guard option and, in particular, sniper. While he improved as his rookie season went on, we are still looking at a very young, very inexperienced player on the floor. It showed in his first game of the 2025-26 season. He had 9 points and 4 assists with 2 turnovers, but defensively, he looked overmatched against the champs.

    To be fair to Sheppard, he probably wouldn’t have gotten heavy minutes in OKC (27 total) if not for the FVV injury. He did what he could to manage what must have been an overwhelming situation in a playoff atmosphere despite what the calendar said. It was trial by fire and he got burned. But, don’t assume that he cannot contribute. This team will be good with or without Sheppard, but they would be better if they can get something from him, particularly in the dog days of the season when they will need his energy and shooting.

    Our point guard spot is a problem.

    Validity: 7 out of 10

    We knew this. Fred VanVleet’s injury is a problem for the Rockets. His presence on the floor and his knack for not turning the ball over will be sorely missed. We saw it on night one when the team turned the ball over 20 times before overtime. But, the problem isn’t just FVV, it’s the depth issues that he created when he was injured just weeks before training camp.

    Most believe that Amen Thompson will make more than a capable replacement and his size makes the Rockets opening night lineup the tallest in NBA history. The bigger concern is what to do when Thompson isn’t on the floor. Sheppard will have to step up, but if he is unable, that leaves Aaron Holiday, a capable backup, but not for extended minutes. And if Thompson misses any time — his end-of-game leg cramps were a problem in game one — this will become an even more glaring weakness.

    This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2025.

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    Jeff Balke

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  • Answering Questions About the Rockets 2025-26 Season – Houston Press

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    The Rockets have been on an upward trajectory the last three seasons finishing second in the Western Conference in the 2024-25 season before bowing out in the first round of the playoffs. It’s a far cry from three straight seasons of absolute misery and high draft picks. But, as the organization would say, improving is not enough. They feel like they are now ready for actual postseason contention in a stacked conference.

    GM Rafael Stone did his part in acquiring Kevin Durant from Phoenix this summer while also adding wing Dorian Finney-Smith and bringing back veterans like Fred VanVleet and Aaron Holiday. Now, it will be up to head coach Ime Udoka to figure out how to blend this very talented, but slightly off-kilter lineup to try and top where he took his squad last season.

    There are plenty of questions to be answered about the upcoming season. Let’s try to answer a few of them.

    How do they make up for the loss of VanVleet?

    The Rockets are a big-heavy team. It makes them formidable defensively and on the glass, but they are less flexible in the backcourt. Losing VanVleet the week before training camp to a torn ACL makes an already light guard group look downright concerning. FVV was critical for the team less because of his pure numbers and more because of the steadiness he brought on the floor. Prior to his arrival, the Rockets were one of the worst turnover teams in basketball. Since, they have been near the top of the league. He really does make that substantial of a difference.

    Now, this will be more of a point-by-committee situation with Amen Thompson (more on him in a moment) and Reed Sheppard (also him) splitting most of the duties while sprinkling in Aaron Holiday. Can they re-create FVV in the aggregate? We’ll see.

    Are they really going to go that big? Really?

    The “double big” lineup of Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams was effective down the stretch last season. Udoka has already said they plan to employ it liberally this year, especially now that they’ve added Clint Capela and Durant. But how big will they go, exactly. Udoka has hinted at a lineup of Adams, Sengun, Durant, Jabari Smith, Jr. and Amen Thompson. They could sub in Tari Eason or Dorian Finney-Smith at one of the wings as well.

    While not a row of seven footers, they might as well be with their collective wingspan. The issue is whether or not that lineup would be effective for more than short bursts of time. Defensively, they would almost certainly need to employ mostly a zone defense, which can be susceptible to good shooting teams and those that work the baseline. It will be fascinating to watch, but hard to imagine they could use this as much as some might believe.

    Is Reed Sheppard ready?

    It feels a little strange to wonder how a player who was mostly an afterthought last season could be the lynchpin to the Rockets success this year, but when VanVleet went down, Sheppard became their most viable option for a traditional point guard currently on the roster.  While he was the third pick in the 2024 draft, it was a pretty weak draft year. In other years, he might have gone later in the first round.

    Still, Sheppard has a lot of the qualities the Rockets need in a point. He’s a great passer and ball handler. He shot lights out from three in college. And he’s got very quick hands which made him one of the better pickpockets in the draft. But, is he ready? After limited minutes in his rookie season, he’ll get the first crack at holding down a big chunk of the point guard duties this year. The Rockets probably won’t fall off the edge of the Earth if he isn’t up for the challenge, but if he is, and becomes a quality NBA guard this year, their ceiling seems almost unlimited.

    Will Amen Thompson become a superstar?

    The other likely guy to see time at the point is Thompson, a wonderfully athletic, gifted player who made All-NBA First Team Defense last season. He is still working hard to improve his outside shot and, if he does, he has the stuff to be one of the best players in the world.

    This is his third year and he’s already showing signs of being that guy. The Rockets will need him for a lot this year. Defense, getting to the rim, finding open players on offense, and, most importantly, helping to keep the team together. It’s a heavy burden he will have to carry, but he seems up to the task.

    How healthy will Durant remain?

    Since missing all of the 2019-20 COVID season to injury, Durant has struggled to remain healthy and on the floor. In the four seasons after 2020, he played in 35, 55, 47 and 39 games. The last two, however, he’s played in 75 and 62 games, which is about as healthy as he has been since they year before his season lost to injury.

    At 37, he is still one of the best in basketball (ranked 15th by ESPN this year), but there is no question the Rockets will do everything they can to maximize Durant’s longevity for the playoffs, including resting him when needed. If he plays in 60-plus games this year, it would be a victory for everyone. The key is having him healthy for the postseason.

    Could Stone make another huge deal during the season?

    The Rockets are absolutely loaded with tradable assets, more than any other contending team in the NBA, thanks to Stone’s clever managing of the team’s draft and player salaries. They own two first round picks from Phoenix and a pick swap with Brooklyn over the next few years when both of those teams promise to be awful.

    Additionally, they have some young players on reasonable contracts including Smith and Eason. If the Rockets wanted to make a big swing during the season for another franchise-level talent, they probably could. Obviously, with the VanVleet injury, it would be tempting to eyeball backcourt help if they need it. For now, expect them to stand pat and wait. They can afford it and understand they will likely be repaid for their patience.

    This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2025.

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    Jeff Balke

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  • Projecting the Rockets 15-Man Roster Way Too Early

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    One preseason game in and all is well with the Houston Rockets. Alperen Sengun continues his offseason dominance, first with Eurobasket and then with one half against the Atlanta Hawks. Kevin Durant is set to make his debut Wednesday and most everyone is completely healthy.

    If the season ended today, the Rockets would be in the postseason!

    We kid. Point is, it is one of four preseason games in and we really don’t know what this team is going to be. We can guess they will be quite good, maybe even championship caliber. But, at this point, who can speculate? We can!

    Let’s start with a much, much too early look at the 15-man roster because we have time on our hands and nothing to worry about…yet.

    STARTERS

    Alperen Sengun
    Kevin Durant
    Amen Thompson
    Jabari Smith, Jr.

    Coach Ime Udoka has basically said these four will be in the lineup when the ball is tipped in game one. From a purely size and athleticism standpoint, this is going to be a beast for teams to wrangle. The question is whether Thompson will fill the point guard role or remain a wing with someone else starting at the point. The front line of Sengun, Durant and Smith will do damage.

    STARTER OPTIONS

    Reed Sheppard
    Tari Eason
    Dorian Finney-Smith

    Here is the intrigue. If Sheppard can make a jump from his rookie season, he could fill the shoes of injured guard Fred VanVleet. Interestingly, he has a similar size and style of play to FVV, but in only his second year, he will need to make a lot of progress. If Udoka decides to go with Thompson at the point, expect Eason here to start the season with Finney-Smith possibly getting his way into the starting lineup after fully recovering from offseason ankle surgery. Regardless of who is in the starting five, the other two will be critical components in the Rockets rotation.

    KEY RESERVES

    Stephen Adams
    Clint Capela
    Josh Okogie
    Aaron Holiday

    Adams and Sengun formed the double-big lineup that was so successful toward the end of last season and Udoka intends to continue deploying it, but now with Capela as an added wrinkle, both because he has a different set of skills from Adams and because Adams will not play every game this year. Okogie, who signed with the Rockets as a free agent, might surprise some. He’s a skilled defender with a wide body at just six-foot-four. Holiday hopes to continue his 50-percent-plus three-point shooting from the final third of last season as a safety net at point guard.

    FILLING OUT THE BENCH

    Jae’Sean Tate
    Jeff Green

    Tate and Green were part of a trio of Rockets players brought back (including Holiday) both for continuity and skillset. Tate is a spark plug defender who out-hustles virtually everyone on the floor. Green is the solid veteran big man who provides both in-game experience and a solid mentor for the younger players. Neither will play every night (maybe not every week), but they provide quality depth to a team that is pretty loaded on talent.

    ON THE BUBBLE

    JD Davison
    Kevon Harris
    Cameron Matthews

    Out of the three, Matthews, and unrestricted rookie free agent known for his tenacious defense, probably has the best shot of making the roster since both Harris and Davison are two-way players who can be shuttled back and forth from the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. This final spot could also be filled by a veteran if the Rockets sign someone in camp. But, don’t sleep on Davison, the G-League MVP last year. He can straight up shoot the ball as evidenced by his 17 points on 5-7 from deep against the Hawks.

    This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2025.

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    Jeff Balke

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  • Rockets Media Day 2025: Hope Spring Eternal

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    When one door closes, another opens. Such is life in Houston sports with the Astros flaming out ahead of the postseason only to be replaced by the Kevin Durant-led Houston Rockets, who held their annual gathering of the media on Monday at Toyota Center.

    This year was a bit different for this Rockets team coming off their first postseason appearance since the pandemic bubble year of 2020 and introducing their latest acquisitions. It’s always all smiles on Media Day, but there was plenty to talk about.

    Media training for the team when it comes to contract discussions is on point.

    When ESPN reporter Brian Windhorst asked GM Rafael Stone about Durant signing a contract extension, Stone said, “You can ask, but I won’t answer because we don’t talk about contracts.” When a similar question was asked of Tari Eason about his own contract status, he responded, “You can ask, but I won’t answer because we don’t talk about contracts.” OK then.

    Kevin Durant gave interesting and thoughtful answers at Media Day.

    Kevin Durant is fascinating.

    Forgive this reporter’s first impressions of Durant, someone I have never covered, but he seems like one interesting guy. All his answers are measured and thoughtful. He’s clearly “nerdy” as he described his detail oriented approach to perfecting his game. When he gave answers, he sounded almost guru-like. Also, he said he has no doubt he’ll sign an extension, so I guess he talks about his contract.

    Jeff Green wants no part of coaching.

    Jeff Green is never ever ever going to coach.

    The last answer for the 19-year veteran who gave long and considered responses to every reporter was only two words, “Hell, nah!” The question: After all your experience as a player, do you think you’ll want to pursue coaching? Green dropped the words and then the mic before leaving to chuckles from the audience.

    Dorian Finney-Smith is one of a handful of funny guys on this roster.

    This team is full of characters.

    If Monday was any indication, the Rockets won’t need a laugh track, but they might need a 7-second delay for bleeping out curse words. Multiple players jokingly dropped F-bombs in their answers — most notably Steven Adams who is known for his sense of humor and occasional R-rated language. When Adams was asked about Durant, the person, he said, “I mean, he’s not a dick.” Newcomer Dorian Finney-Smith said of Amen Thompson, that he should “Not give a f****” and just shoot. Later, Thompson would say, “Yes, I don’t want to give an eff.” How polite.

    Clint Capela is really happy to be home.

    Clint Capela is happy to be back in Houston, like really happy.

    The former and now current Rockets center gushed about his “home” here in Houston. He didn’t say that he was unhappy in Atlanta, but he was beaming about his return, both to the city and the team where he got his start.

    Jabari Smith, Jr. put on some muscle this summer.

    Jabari Smith, Jr. is noticeably more muscular.

    When Smith walked into the assembly area, it was clear he spent a LOT of time in the weight room over the summer. He shoulders were bulkier and he looked really lean. He said he spent a lot of time getting stronger and trying to improve his ability to handle the game. He seems extremely confident.

    Reed Sheppard is ready for his second season.

    Everyone is excited about Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard.

    The love for Thompson should come as no surprise. He could be one of the league’s best young players with an extremely unique set of skills and he said he improved significantly on his distance shooting, which is bad news for the rest of the league. But, hearing players rave about how good Sheppard looks is promising (especially since he will get more minutes now with VanVleet out). Sheppard said he spent the first three weeks of the offseason not even touching a basketball, just playing defense and lifting weights. He’ll need all the strength he can get this year.

    No one seemed as upset about Fred VanVleet’s injury as Alperen Sengun.

    Everyone is bummed about Fred VanVleet.

    Perhaps no one more than Alperen Sengun, who looked devastated when he spoke of the point guard’s torn ACL — he learned about it on the plane back to the states. VanVleet even spent time with Sengun his Turkey and it was pretty clear from the answers and he and Sengun have gotten pretty close.

    Imagine Amen Thompson is the shortest guy in the lineup.

    Could we get a massive all-big lineup?

    Speaking of Sengun, if you saw any of his performances in the EuroBasket tournament, you should be excited. He looked phenomenal. With the return of Adams and the addition of Capela (never mind Durant), this is a team loaded with big men. When you factor in how well the team played in the double big lineup last season and the loss of VanVleet, we might see a jumbo package on occasion. Coach Ime Udoka hinted at the idea of the “biggest lineup in basketball” with Thompson at point alongside Smith, Durant, Sengun and Adams or Capela.

    The league should be on notice about Tari Eason.

    Tari Eason is pretty damn confident.

    Feisty is certainly a word you can use to describe Eason, but he seemed genuinely perturbed at being left off the NBA top 100 players list over the summer. He spent his summer working on ball handling and shooting.  His defense and toughness have never been in question. When asked if he wanted to see an expanded role on offense, he leaned into the mic and said quite directly, “Yes!” He’s also fully healthy to start the season. If his game is as big as the chip on his shoulder, other teams are in trouble.

    The new hot dog with brisket is mighty tasty.

    One of the great benefits of Media Day is being fed — often new food items — by Toyota Center staff. This year was no exception with some nice additions to the menu including a spicy brisket hot dog with pickles. You’ll want to check that out. I will never sleep on the cookies, which are some of the best you’ll ever try. And, this year, they have a make your own tart/pie station? I got fatter just looking at it.

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    Jeff Balke

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  • Fred VanVleet Tears ACL: What Are the Rockets Options at Point Guard?

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    The year in 2025 Houston sports continues apace with the Astros close to missing the playoffs amid a record number of injuries, the Texans starting their season 0-3, and now it is being widely reported that Rockets starting point guard Fred VanVleet could miss the entire season with a torn ACL, which happened this summer.

    Fans said over the weekend the combination of Astros and Texans news couldn’t be much worse for Houston. Houston Sports said, “Hold my beer.”

    With training camp opening next week, what exactly can the Rockets do? While VanVleet’s numbers don’t jump off the screen, when he was absent, the Rockets often looked lost on offense. He remains one of the best assist-to-turnover guards in the NBA on a team that really cut down on turnovers last season under his leadership. He is also the de facto coach on the floor, which is the main reason the team re-signed him to a two-year, $50 million deal in the offseason.

    On the cusp of what could be one of the most interesting and exciting years in team history thanks to the trade for Kevin Durant, we get this very early lump of coal in our stockings. Bah humbug.

    The Rockets cannot sign anyone at the moment.

    If you’re thinking, “Hey, they can go grab a veteran to fill VanVleet’s Li Nings,” not so fast. The Rockets are over the tax apron, which means they are unable to sign anyone, even a veteran for the minimum, without first clearing salary, which is unlikely to happen given their roster. The next timeframe they will have to make a move would be in January.

    Next Up: Amen Thompson?

    The natural move here would be to put Thompson at the point, but is that the best option for the team? Thompson is still young and not a classic point guard or advanced passer. His size makes him formidable defensively at the position, but it might not be best for him on offense. At the ends of games, is Thompson the guy you want with the ball in his hands calling plays?

    More importantly, the trickle down impact of Thompson moving to point could be significant. He is going to start, for certain, but he seemed like an ideal candidate for shooting guard or small forward, where he can play off other playmakers and defend anyone. This could negate that.

    Next Next Up: Reed Sheppard?

    The second-year guard has the right toolbox to be the point, but is he ready? He only played sporadically last season, mainly due to the fact that the one thing he seemed to have that was NBA-ready (his shooting) turned out to be a tad unrefined. If his shooting improves, he does have the kind of passing ability teams love at the point, but will Coach Ime Udoka trust him in key moments? If this is truly a championship contender, do you want that in the hands of a second-year guy who barely played as a rookie?

    Next Next Next Up: Aaron Holiday

    Bringing back the veteran Holiday now seems like a genius move now. While you wouldn’t want him playing big minutes, he makes smart plays, shoots well and is a surprisingly tough defender. It would probably be a surprise if he started, but they are going to need him more than they would have if FVV was healthy.

    So, where does that leave the team?

    At this point, it will likely be point by committee until they can find some kind of groove. The hope is that Thompson takes yet another step toward stardom, Sheppard turns a corner in his sophomore season, and Holiday gives the team quality minutes when needed. The Rockets do indeed have depth on this team, which helps. It just so happens that their most tenuous depth was behind VanVleet.

    Houston sports, man.

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    Jeff Balke

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  • Rockets Probably Won’t Make the Playoffs, but Improvement Has Been Significant

    Rockets Probably Won’t Make the Playoffs, but Improvement Has Been Significant

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    With Sunday’s loss to the Mavericks coupled with a Golden State win, the Rockets chances of making one of the play-in spots for the playoffs shrunk to a size that is almost impossible to see. With just seven games remaining, they trail the Warriors by two full games and the tiebreaker which means they would need to gain at least three in about two weeks. Not impossible, but not likely.

    Regardless, this has been a remarkable season of growth for this still very young team. The first two-thirds of the season surrounded the emergence of Alperen Sengun as a bonafide young star and the surprising emergence of Cam Whitmore as a legitimate scorer off the bench despite being a rookie.

    In the last half of the season, Jalen Green, who was the subject of trade rumors after a disappointing start for the former second round draft pick, absolutely blew up having one of the best March’s in all of basketball. In addition, rookie Amen Thompson, thrust into a starting role, demonstrated a versatility that could make him a budding star sooner rather than later.

    Meanwhile, Jabari Smith, Jr. has been a steady and steadily improving presence in the low post.

    All this has happened despite missing second-year forward Tari Eason for most of the season due to a leg injury and incorporating a new system with coach Ime Udoka, who was just named Western Conference Coach of the Month for March. Never mind the additions of Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks, both of whom have brought exactly what you would expect from the two veterans.

    click to enlarge

    Jalen Green turned on the jets in the second half of the season.

    Photo by Sean Thomas

    At 38-37, the Rockets are well ahead of last year’s 22 wins and on pace to perhaps even be better than .500 for the first time in four years. At the beginning of this season, we suggested that the Rockets might make a 12-game leap this season to 34 wins. We believed the likely win total ranged between 30 and 38. They have already met the top range of that projections with seven games remaining.

    The improvements on the floor have been sometimes slow and often painful. Defensively, they have remained in the top 10 in defensive rating all season, but poor shooting has seen them drop to the bottom third of the league in offensive rating. Still, a team with only two rotation players shooting better than 37 percent has managed to be fairly resilient, relying on a stingy defense that is Udoka’s calling card.

    Perhaps most incredibly, they have gotten better as the season has drawn on, even with the injury to Sengun. Thanks to a somewhat softer schedule and the emergence of Green as a legit star (again), they rattled off 11 straight wins to vault themselves back into playoff contention, something virtually everyone had thought impossible in February.

    Credit Udoka with sticking to his philosophies and the players for responding to them. With some health and hopefully some adding shooting, this is a team that should be poised for the postseason next year. 

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    Jeff Balke

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