Thompson’s 11-foot floater with under a second left lifted Houston to its third straight win.
HOUSTON — “That was my first game-winner! I feel like Kobe,” said 21-year-old Amen Thompson in a quote circulating among Houston sports fans.
During Monday night’s game against the Celtics, Thompson scored a career-high 33 points on 13-of-19 shooting. The game itself had a playoff atmosphere for several reasons.
- These two teams are both quietly second in their respective conferences. Both trail the top seeds in the East and West by several games. As of this initial post, the reigning NBA Finals champion Boston Celtics are 5.5 games behind the Cleveland Cavaliers, while the Rockets are 6 games behind the Oklahoma City Thunder.
- Rockets head coach Ime Udoka faced his former team—a team that was on its way to potential dynasty status had his time in Boston not ended the way it did. His replacement? Former assistant Joe Mazzulla. Udoka vs. Mazzulla: two of the NBA’s most respected coaches, each favoring a unique style. Udoka embodies a sense of toughness, known around the league for bringing a “no-nonsense” approach. Mazzulla, on the other hand, is calm, cool, and collected, known for stoic interviews that border on comedic.
- The game itself. It was a back-and-forth affair all night, with seven lead changes in the final five and a half minutes. Thompson’s game-winning floater in the final seconds capped an impressive battle.
Thompson’s game-winner was not just an exclamation point on the game—it also punctuated his recent success.
In a recent episode of the “Pick a Side” podcast, the hosts asked whether Amen Thompson is the most unique player in the NBA. The response? Mostly yes. The co-hosts described him as an amazing player with the speed of John Wall who can “jump out of the gym.”
According to StatMuse, in the 15 games Thompson has started this season, he has averaged just over 18 points and more than 10 rebounds per game. Those numbers are typically associated with the NBA’s best centers and power forwards. But Thompson is a 6-foot-7 forward listed at 200 pounds. To put that in perspective: four-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert, who stands 7-foot-1 and weighs nearly 260 pounds, is averaging just over 10 points and 10 rebounds this season.
Today’s NBA is different. Last November, Shaquille O’Neal said on his podcast “The Big Podcast with Shaq” that the league has become “boring.” The three-time NBA Finals MVP said, “We’re seeing the same thing. Everybody is running the same plays… Steph Curry and those guys messed it up. I don’t mind Golden State back in the day shooting threes, but every team isn’t a 3-point shooter. So why [does] everybody have the same strategy? I think it makes the game boring.”
One of Thompson’s biggest criticisms leading up to the 2023 NBA draft was his shooting, specifically beyond the arc. While his 19% 3-point shooting over his short career affirms that criticism, 33 points on 13-of-19 shooting is still impressive. What may be most notable about this scoring outburst is that he went 1-of-2 from 3-point range.
What does a simple stat like that say? The very thing anyone watching the game would tell you: he didn’t camp out at the 3-point line and jack up threes like so many other scoring outbursts in recent history. Thompson used everything else in his toolbox, including impressive drives that concluded with slams, stunning layups, offensive rebound putbacks, and left-handed finishes—essentially scoring from everywhere other than 3-point land.
Thompson has started the last three games for the Rockets, which include victories over the Eastern Conference’s top two teams: the Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers (twice).
In the first game against the Cavs, Thompson’s great defense (16 rebounds and 4 steals) was the key factor.
The second game against Cleveland? Thompson’s triple-double (23 points on 8-of-13 shooting, 14 rebounds, 10 assists) was the key factor.
Now, with a career-high in points scored in his own fashion and a clutch conclusion, it’s no surprise he’s feeling like the Black Mamba.
Chance Williams is a KHOU 11 news producer and avid sports fan.