Rockets Would Be Underwhelming Without Amen Thompson

The Houston Rockets and their fanbase are eagerly awaiting news on the injury status of forward Amen Thompson, who suffered an apparent ankle injury against the New Orleans Pelicans last night in the fourth quarter. Thompson, who was one rebound shy of a triple-double, limped off the court and was later seen with a walking boot and crutches. He finished with 15 points, nine boards, and 11 assists.

The Rockets left Amen Thompson in the game in a blowout to get one more rebound for a triple-double and he just got injured. He's heading to the locker room with a limp. https://t.co/UBtrEpgWuU pic.twitter.com/D8GeKP8sQk
— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) March 9, 2025

News of Thompson's status is expected to come out today with his MRI scheduled, but the expectation is that he'll be out for multiple games, perhaps weeks, as the injury looked similar to Jalen Brunson's ankle sprain suffered a few days ago, according to physical therapist Dr. Evan Jeffries.

Whatever the case may be, the Rockets could take a significant hit in production with Thompson out. Amid a season averaging 14.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.2 blocks, the second-year forward has been one of, if not the biggest difference maker for Houston, as he's displayed elite efficiency on both sides of the ball.

When Thompson is on the floor, the Rockets force more turnovers and hold teams to lower shooting percentages. He holds opponents to 40.8% shooting when guarding them.

On offense, Thompson increases Houston's true shooting percentage and lowers its turnover percentage, as the overall offensive rating goes from 112.2 to 115.7.

Aside from stats, Thompson visibly makes a big difference for the Rockets. He is a versatile defender at 6-foot-7 with great athleticism, hits nearly every statistical category with good production. On offense, Thompson is starting to score more on the ball, but thrives in off-ball scoring as well.

Houston has 18 games left in the regular season, ranking 16th in terms of strength of schedule according to Tankathon. The Rockets will be without their best defender against elite offensive teams such as the Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers, and Denver Nuggets.

Again, the hope is that Thompson will at least be able to return toward the end of the regular season and be available for the playoffs. The Rockets are holding on to the fifth seed at 39-25, and are fighting for a top-four seed for home-court advantage.

Want to join the discussion? Like Rockets on SI Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Rockets news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.