Amen Thompson’s rise has lifted the Rockets to greater heights.
The Rockets were riding high on December 22, 2024. They were in third place in the West behind only the Grizzlies and Thunder with a 19-9 record. They were smashing preseason expectations and looking like a team entering its competitive window sooner than many imagined. Alperen Sengun was off to a terrific start and Jalen Green was looking every bit the breakout player Houston had hoped to see entering his fourth season.
There wasn’t anything missing from Houston’s nucleus, necessarily. They had the ingredients of a team that was ready to shake off the rebuilding label and set their sights on making some noise in the playoffs.
At that point, Amen Thompson…