Amen Thompson Is Having a Career Season, but Has Been Even Better the Last 10 Games

After a dominant win over the Utah Jazz to finish off their three-game home stand, the Houston Rockets are in the midst of one of their longest winning streaks of the season at five games. During that streak, they have outscored their opponents by 20 points a game and defeated the Jazz by a season-high 34 points.

The Rockets' offense has been scoring at a higher rate since the five-game winning streak. They are averaging 121.1 ppg over the past 10 games after averaging 108.0 the 36 games prior. The Rockets haven't seen this sustained offensive output since starting the season as the number one-ranked offense in the first two months of the season.

The Rockets have seen their offensive numbers increase recently because of a few reasons. The first is better ball movement and passing, as the Rockets have now had 30+ assists in a season high five straight games they longest such streak since 1986, and the third longest in franchise history.

They have also improved their offensive efficiency, especially from 3-point range, as they have made 15+ 3-pointers in four straight games, shooting 40 percent or better in each game, which is a franchise record. The Rockets have struggled at times on the offensive end at times this season, but in the last 10 games, especially the last five, they have been putting up numbers on offense that have not been seen many times in Rockets history. In some cases, it has never been seen.

Of course, Kevin Durant has played a big part in that and has been the Rockets' most consistent player all season. Throughout the year, Durant has not had any type of shooting slump outside of one or two games at the most. Alperen Sengun has also played at another level since coming back from a back injury that kept him out for a few games.

Sengun is shooting 64 percent from the field in the last ten games, including 50 percent from 3-point range. There is one other player who has excelled on the offensive end all season, but especially in the last ten games, and that is Amen Thompson.

In the Last 10 Games, Thompson Has Been the Rockets’ Most Efficient Player Inside the Arc

Thompson took on a bigger role this season after the injury to Fred VanVleet before the season, and he has taken full advantage of his opportunities. Thompson was already averaging a career high in minutes, points per game, free throw shooting, and assists, but in the last ten games, he has been even better, especially when it comes to his efficiency.

Thompson has been attacking the basket even more in the last ten games and has seen his offensive numbers improve with each game during that span. In the last ten games, Thompson is averaging 18.6 points, shooting 55.6 percent from the field, and even more impressively, 86.3 percent from the free-throw line. That is on 5.1 attempts per game, which is second on the team during the last ten games.

Thompson had struggled from the free-throw line in his first two seasons but has turned it around in year three, shooting 78 percent from the charity stripe. His 3-point volume is still low, along with his percentage, as his 3-point shooting has taken a step back this season, but inside the arc, he is one of the most efficient players in the NBA with his scoring around the basket and converting free throws.

For the Rockets to make any noise in the playoffs, they will need their top two players, Durant and Sengun, to play at an All-NBA level, but also will need Thompson to continue to be one of the best two-way players in the NBA and one of the most efficient offensive players inside the 3-point line.