WATCH: Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun have Highlight Blocks During Rockets Loss

When the Houston Rockets drafted Amen Thompson in the 2023 NBA Draft, he was viewed as a project. Understandably, as he'd played in the Overtime Elite league, which pales in comparison to the NBA. Or even the NCAA.

Or even the international circuit. However, he proved his impact from Day One. In the Summer League, even.

When matched up against Portland Trail Blazers top-two draft pick Scoot Henderson, Thompson had 16 points, five assists, four blocks and three steals, before suffering an injury.

His defensive skills were clearly going to present a problem. For the rest of the league, that is. By his second season, Thompson became a First Team All-Defensive player, immersing himself as one of the league's best defenders, if not the best wing defender.

And by his third season, Thompson was excelling on the offensive end, using his athleticism to outrun opponents and get downhill. Quite the opposite from his teammate -- Rockets center Alperen Sengun, who has become a two-time All-Star by his fifth year in the league.

Sengun isn't a defensive extraordinaire, by any stretch. In fact, he gets hunted quite regularly on switches and/or pick-and-roll actions.

The San Antonio Spurs openly admitted to running the same play all throughout the game. Which was to hunt the Houston Rockets center. Fifteen times in a row, to be exact. By the Spurs' own admission.

Offensively, Sengun has been reminiscent of Denver Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic for many, because of his ability to facilitate and playmake at the center position. Even though his own teammates disagree with the comparison.

In Wednesday night's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, both Sengun and Thompson had tremendous defensive plays. Sengun had a total of four blocks and was even drawing charges. Not bad for a player who is viewed as a free-loader on defense.

Sengun even had the Rockets' game-saving block on former All-NBA forward Julius Randle, which extended the game past regulation.

Sengun with a game-saving block -- AND a bloody lip! Overtime. pic.twitter.com/sXCUbgKwQi
— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) March 26, 2026

Sengun hit his face on the court and suffered a bloody mouth. Thompson also had a sensational block in the fourth quarter, on Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo.

then follows up with the DENY ⛔️ https://t.co/RxKD9nuFwo pic.twitter.com/owkMS4Balm
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) March 26, 2026

Thompson clearly mouthed something to DiVincenzo, which the Wolves guard didn't like. DiVincenzo was so put off by Thompson that he shoved him after Thompson's block.

All told, the Wolves won the war, in spite of these big defensive highlights, in a game that felt like a postseason game. Houston is now seemingly entrenched in the sixth spot in the Western Conference.