Amen Thompson Has Played at an Elite Level During the Rockets’ Winning Streak

Amen Thompson has played a major role in the Rockets four game winning streak.

Dec 29, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets guard Amen Thompson (1) dribbles against the Indiana Pacers in the fourth quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

During Amen Thompson's first three seasons in the NBA, the young star guard has shown that he is already one of the best defensive players in the league, one of the most athletic, and has a chance to become one of, if not the best, two players in the league. Last season, Thompson helped the Rockets make the playoffs for the first time since 2020, becoming the first Houston Rocket since Patrick Beverley to make the All-NBA Defensive First Team.

The Rocket guard also took his offensive game to another level, improving his points per game, 3-point percentage, field goal percentage, assists, and rebounds. Thompson was already expected to take on a bigger role this season with the Rockets trading Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks for Kevin Durant this offseason. Still, his role expanded even more once the news of Fred VanVleet's potential season-ending injury came out right before the start of training camp.

Thompson was already set to move to the shooting guard position next to VanVleet, but with the injury to the Rockets' floor leader, Thompson would have to make the move to the point guard position, which is something he hasn't done much of since coming into the NBA. Thompson had played point guard at every stop before being drafted, but playing point guard in the NBA is on an entirely different level.

Thompson has seen his numbers go up across the board, except at the 3-point line, where the guard has seen a dip in his percentage from beyond the arc. Outside of 3-point shooting, Thompson's minutes, points per game, and free-throw percentage have all gone up. The Rockets currently sit at 21-10 after struggling at times in December, but they have turned it around as of late, winning four consecutive games, and one of the main reasons has been Thompson's play during that streak.

Amen Thompson Has Elevated His Play During the Rockets Four-Game Winning Streak

The Rockets had some disappointing losses in December. The Rockets surrendered two huge leads to the Sacramento Kings and New Orleans Pelicans and were blown out by the Los Angeles Clippers. The Rockets were only 4-6 for the month heading into their game with the Lakers on Christmas. That game was when the Rockets turned it around, as they dominated the Lakers and have now won four games in a row.

Thompson has played a significant role in that winning streak, averaging 20.5 points, 7 rebounds, and 4.8 assists. Thompson is even shooting 27.3 percent from 3-point range after struggling all season. The Rockets know that if they want to take that next step, they will need Thompson to do the same, moving from good young player to star-level player sooner rather than later.