The Houston Rockets win over the Warriors in Game 5 kept their slim hopes of advancing alive. It also firmly made the point that Amen Thompson now sets the ceiling for this team.
Thompson was a revelation in his second season, averaging 14.1 points, 8.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game, while emerging as one of the league's best and most versatile defenders. He was muted somewhat in the first four games of the series, in large part because he was spending so much time chasing Steph Curry all over the floor. But he was a monster in Game 5 — 25 points on 8-of-12 shooting, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 5 blocks and 3 steals.
Most importantly, the Rockets outscored the Warriors by 32 points in the 34 minutes he was on the court.
Amen Thompson is what makes the Rockets go
Fred VanVleet was hot early and had his best scoring game of the series. Alperen Şengün and Jalen Green were both effective and efficient (far more so in Şengün's case). But plays like this from Thompson — turning Curry over with halfcourt pressure, sprinting down court to be a factor in transition, seeking contact, chasing down his own miss to make sure he got the bucket and then chirping after the fact — this is what set the tone for the Rockets.
Green still has the highest offensive ceiling of anyone on this team. VanVleet's veteran savvy and outside shooting are crucial. Şengün gives them a matchup-busting element with his interior scoring and passing from the elbows. But the biggest difference between last year's Rockets, who won 41 games, and this year's 52-win, No. 2-seed iteration, is the emergence of Thompson.
He's still a shaky 3-point shooter. His most impressive moments as a scorer are still often coming in transition or off the ball. But he's already an elite defender — Per the NBA's matchup statistics, he was the primary defender on Steph Curry for about a third of the possessions he was on the floor for across the first four games. He helped hold Curry to just 25.1 points per 100 possessions, down from 37.1 in the regular season. Oh, and he had EIGHT stocks in Game 5.
While Thompson still has a way to go in creating efficient scoring opportunities for himself off the dribble, he's already terrific at creating them for others and his elite finishing ability forces the defense to adjust. He averaged about as many potential assists per game during the regular season as Jrue Holiday or Kevin Durant. If the Rockets decide not to exercise their hefty team option on VanVleet for next season, there's a good chance Thompson is the starting point guard next year.
The Rockets may not ultimately make it past the Warriors, but their future is bright, and this talented young roster is coming into focus. Amen Thompson is what binds them together. He's what gives them an identity and, eventually, he's going to be the biggest factor in determining how far they go.