Rockets' Amen Thompson makes NBA history with bonkers stat line vs. Wizards

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With Jabari Smith Jr. out with a hand injury, Amen Thompson has a golden opportunity in front of him to cement his place in the Houston Rockets starting lineup — perhaps even for good. Thompson, the fourth overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft, has done nothing but impress whenever he gets extended run, and Tuesday night was no different as the Rockets took a 135-112 victory over the Washington Wizards.

Thompson continues to wow the NBA world with his nearly-unmatched level of athleticism, and it’s translating to stuffed stat sheets and the win column. Against the Wizards, the Rockets forward was a blur, scoring 20 points, hauling in 15 rebounds, and handing out five dimes in a game that wasn’t as close as the lopsided score line would indicate.

And in so doing, Thompson became the youngest forward in NBA history, as per StatMamba on X (formerly known as Twitter), to put up at least 20 points, 15 rebounds, and five assists in a single game without turning the ball over.

Thompson sometimes has a problem with being too careless with the basketball, so it’s definitely part of his growth as an all-around force for the Rockets to be more careful and patient with the rock.

It’s a huge luxury for the Rockets to have a weapon like Thompson; he was drafted as a guard, but the uber-athletic 6’7″ forward can play one to four with relative ease. He fills in so many gaps for a Rockets team that has built a winning identity on the defensive end of the floor, and to see his offense come around the way it has, and in just his sophomore season, no less, has to feel so validating for Houston fans who’ve stuck around through their painful rebuild.

Amen Thompson, Rockets fly high in win vs. Wizards

It may have taken a bit, but the Rockets took over the game in the second half and did not look back. Amen Thompson played a huge part in giving the Rockets the required energy to pull away with the game rather easily, as it’s his defensive versatility, top-notch end-to-end athleticism, and relentlessness in attacking the basket that more than makes up for the spacing loss amid Jabari Smith Jr.’s injury.

But Thompson wasn’t the only one to show up on Tuesday night. Jalen Green had another hot shooting night, scoring 29 points, while Alperen Sengun continued to be as dependable as ever, tallying 26 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists.

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