Standing Tall in Defeat: Just How Good Is 22-Year-Old Amen Thompson?

The Houston Rockets’ season came to an abrupt end in a painful Game 7 loss to the Golden State Warriors. At home, with the crowd roaring and the stakes sky-high, the Rockets collapsed in stunning fashion, falling 103-89 and becoming the latest victim of the dreaded 3-6 upset — a 黑七 (hei qi), as it's called in CBA terms.

It was a bitter pill to swallow for a Rockets team that had been the West's second seed, but failed to deliver when it mattered most. Jalen Green went ice cold, shooting just 3-for-8 for 8 points. Alperen Sengun, the team's All-Star centerpiece, shouldered the offensive burden but came up short, finishing 9-of-23 from the field for a team-high 21 points. More glaring than any individual failure, though, was the Rockets’ offense as a whole. It was, bluntly, constipated. They had just two three-pointers in the first half. Only three assists. By game’s end, Houston had racked up a paltry six threes on 18 attempts and only 14 total assists. For a team that built its identity on ball movement and spacing, it was an offensive meltdown of catastrophic proportions.

But amidst the wreckage, one young man stood tall — Amen Thompson, 22 years old, second-year player, and perhaps the brightest beacon of hope in Houston's future.

Amen Thompson’s Game 7 Statement

With the season on the line, Amen didn’t just show up — he arrived.

• 37 minutes played

• 9-of-16 shooting from the field

• 6-of-6 from the free throw line

• 24 points (team-high)

• 9 rebounds

• 3 assists

• 1 block

• 1 steal

• 0 turnovers

And, perhaps most impressively — he was the primary defender on Stephen Curry for most of the night.

Amen hounded Curry for six straight minutes of matchup time, during which the two-time MVP scored just 6 points. That alone is a monumental feat. But it didn’t stop there. Amen also spent time guarding Brandin Podziemski, Jimmy Butler, and Buddy Hield — all of whom combined for one shot attempt and zero points in over six minutes of face time against him.

Let that sink in.

In a game where Hield and Butler combined for 53 points, they got absolutely nothing when Amen was in front of them. That level of perimeter defense is not just rare — it’s elite. It’s All-Defense caliber, and Amen is just scratching the surface.

A Series of Growth: Amen’s Playoff Progression

Game 7 wasn't an isolated burst of brilliance — it was the culmination of a steady upward trajectory throughout the first-round series. Here's how his production evolved:

• Game 1: 8 pts, 9 rebs, 6 asts, 1 stl, 1 blk

• Game 2: 11 pts, 1 reb, 3 asts

• Game 3: 11 pts, 7 rebs, 4 asts, 1 stl, 1 blk

• Game 4: 17 pts, 9 rebs, 2 asts

• Game 5: 25 pts, 6 rebs, 3 asts, 5 stls, 3 blks

• Game 6: 14 pts, 7 rebs, 2 asts, 3 stls

• Game 7: 24 pts, 9 rebs, 3 asts, 1 stl, 1 blk

The contrast is striking. Over the first three games, Amen averaged just 10 points on 41% shooting. Over the final four, he posted:

• 20.0 points per game

• 7.8 rebounds

• 2.5 assists

• 2.5 steals

• 1.0 block

• 54.7% shooting from the field

• 33.3% from three

• 80.8% from the free-throw line

He didn’t just improve — he evolved. His finishing, decision-making, and even his confidence behind the arc took meaningful steps forward in real time. Defensively, he was relentless. Amen was matched up with Curry for 32 minutes across 150 possessions in the series. Curry shot just 11-of-27 and had 8 turnovers in that span. That’s not defense — that’s lockdown.

His other primary assignments, Podziemski and Butler, combined for 19 shots and just 22 points across 110 matchups. For a second-year guard? That's almost unheard of.

Regular Season Foundations

Amen’s playoff surge didn’t come out of nowhere. He was laying the groundwork all season long. In 69 games during the regular season, he averaged:

• 14.1 points

• 8.2 rebounds

• 3.8 assists

• 1.4 steals

• 1.3 blocks

• 55.7% FG

• 60.2% True Shooting

His defensive metrics were among the best of any guard in the league. He held opponents to just 40.7% shooting, down from an expected 46.3%, and limited threes to 30.6%, well below the league average.

Near the rim, he was even more dominant — cutting opponents' shooting percentages from 58.1% to 48.7% within 10 feet. That’s not just elite for a young player — it’s elite, period.

That’s why he garnered 9 first-place votes for Defensive Player of the Year, finishing fifth overall — as a 22-year-old sophomore. Not many guards get that kind of love. Virtually none do in their second season.

Amen’s One Glaring Flaw — and Sky-High Ceiling

If there’s one thing holding Amen Thompson back from stardom, it’s the same thing that has followed him since draft night: shooting.

He shot just 27.5% from three in the regular season. He has little mid-range game to speak of. Nearly all of his scoring comes at the rim or in transition, which is both a credit to his athleticism and a warning sign for his ceiling.

But that’s the scariest part: even without a reliable jumper, Amen is already producing at an elite level. He doesn’t have to be Steph Curry. If he can just shoot league-average from deep, the rest of his game is ready to explode. He’s 6'7", can guard 1 through 4, is a terrifying transition weapon, and is already learning to pick his spots in the half-court.

And let’s be honest — shooters can be built. Defense, feel, and poise under pressure? That stuff’s harder to teach.

What Now for Houston?

With Jalen Green still inconsistent and Sengun already an All-Star, the Rockets are at a franchise crossroads. The rumors are swirling. Will they trade for Giannis? Durant? Maybe someone else? And if they do — who goes?

Whatever happens, Houston has one clear priority: don’t touch Amen Thompson.

He’s still on a rookie contract with two full years of team control. His upside is not just All-Star — it’s All-NBA if the jumper ever comes around. If the Rockets are smart, they’ll treat him like a foundational piece, not a trade chip.

If you're building a contender in the modern NBA, you need defenders who can switch, create in transition, and thrive without the ball. Amen Thompson checks all those boxes — and does it at 22.

Final Word

You can talk about numbers. You can talk about raw tools. But sometimes, greatness reveals itself in moments. Game 7 wasn’t a win, but it was a statement. Amen Thompson didn't walk off the court sulking or blaming others — he stood tall and left everything on the floor.

He didn’t just survive the fire of playoff basketball — he thrived in it.

And if he ever adds a jumper to that fire?

He’s not just the Rockets' future. He might be the league’s.