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Boston-minuts after Amen Thompson sank the game of the game, sending thousands of numb fans to Boston Celtics, heading for the exits, the second year of Houston the rockets made a tiny but strong gesture in his locker.
The wave of emotions extending from the tunnel of the TD garden to the narrow corridor adjacent to the visitor’s dressing room means the scale of a game that Houston has just won. The assistants escaped joyfully out of the floor, the teammates rejoiced in the dressing room, and the coach names Ouka made a rare appearance after the game – with an even clearer smile.
But from Thompson there was no Bravado, no fluff on his chest, he would scream, nothing. Only a congratulatory text from his twin brother Auzar and a finger aimed at the vein of his right forearm.
Ice. Cold.
“He is learning on the go,” OSCA said to Thompson after the victory of Houston 114-112. “He showed glare last year when he returned from an injury and began the last 18 with (alpere şengün) out. Anyone who has watched us obviously knows what he is doing and now gets a chance to show it even more with the increased minutes in the initial role. “
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The 33-point, nine-secret, four assistant performance of Thompson in an effective firing from 13 to 19 against the ruling champions may have been his official party to go out at the random fan, who came across a league pass on a school evening. But nothing Thompson did against Boston – or something else he had done since he was inserted into the starting lineup – he surprised the people he works with every day. It is expected not only in the name of Thompson’s development, but also for the ever -increasing expectations of missiles.
Monday night was a benchmark for Houston. No matter where the rockets are in their recovery – if we even have to call it that already – the Games against the Celtic will always mean something.
From an emotional point of view, it was the first time I returned to Boston, bringing with it a team worthy of playoffs, and Boos’s Crescendo during the introduction of players gave a reminder that he was behind enemy lines. But Monday was the main opportunity to assess the level of preparation of the rockets against a contender for a blue chip, especially with the playoffs only a few months old. And where Houston was (or not), as he was claiming to be firmly fell on the shoulders of Usca.
“You are testing against all the best teams at night if we are trying to get to where we are trying to go,” Ouka said. “These are indicators for us. As we become a better team, we are talking about the care of the business against teams that need to be measured and measured by better teams. “
Monday was also a standard for Thompson. He and Houston’s coaching staff knew what to expect from Boston-and how the 21-year-old could be an X-factor.
Smart defenses, such as the seventh ranked unit of Celtics, a scheme for sending constant pressure in şengün, Jalen Green and Fred Vanvleet with a swarm, swarm and zone. Boston was also convenient to leave the center of Luke Cornet for Thompson because of the lack of firing from the latter and his tendency to attack down.
But since Thompson showed possession after possession, few can slow him down when his mind is set to go where he wants to go. He took the slow center, guarding him and punishing the Celtic every chance he received. Whether it was struggles to fight from the giant Cornet and Cryps Porsis or counteracting the Celtix approach, placing the ball more in his hands and acting as a destructive ball of the playmaker, Thompson’s relentless blow struck more.
The missiles would certainly not win this game without the timely contributions of the wing’s wing Dylan Brooks wing, who scored 36 points in the career’s career career (the veteran was quietly the finishing floor of Houston distributor this season.) But it is almost unattainable to think where Houston will be without Thompson’s presence at night.
“Putting a large body on it, it still has its advantages, “Ouka said. “He can enter his game with a handle and descent, it’s the flexibility that he can attack any match.”
“It just shows our depth,” said Thompson. “It is important for us to activate. Dylan goes crazy – we are not even in this game without him. Attention (Jalen and Fred) get easier for me and Dylan, for sure. “
Rockets will not win many important games in the next few months at night when Green, Vanlet and şengün combine themselves for only 30 points and they cannot rely on Brooks who have huge games to take them out. But Houston can be attached to the rapid climb of Thompson, his two -way impact and his high -octane, contagious energy, which gives them an advantage.
When Jabari Smith, Jr., Jabari, suffered a broken left hand earlier this month, there was a concern for Houston’s season to be forced without balance, without the defensive flexibility of Smith, bounce and distance between the floor. But since it is inserted into the starting lineup, Thompson did not just give the rockets to a working floor; He lifted their ceiling.
Thompson works in Houston because he is the perfect marriage between the flexibility that Ouka likes and the aggression he loves. His offensive athleticism can punish teams from anywhere on the floor. And with any defensive possession, Thompson can be stirred between positions and use his gifts to suffocate opponents, strangle attempts to shoot, and use glass control in a way that players in the second year should not be able to.
As a starter, Thompson plays a shadow under 40 minutes a night and an average of 19.2 points, 11.5 rebounds and 4.4 assists to go with 2.2 thefts and 1.2 blocks per game. This intersection of production and durability is simply unheard of in this league, especially at this age and level of experience.
It doesn’t matter that Thompson is not yet a good shooter (21 percent of 3 as a starter, 32 percent of the corners). His ability to displace calculus – or the truth, to create his own – denies all the problems perceived with the distance of the floor. Thompson’s physical attributes put him in his class, but in combination with his processor, his presence is almost like a sixth starter on the floor at any time. After the game, Usca said that the final possession was specially designed to make Thompson attack down against the more slow Jalen Brown, but even before that, it was clear that Thompson – and Usca – exceeded whatever Boston throws them.
“I trained a man like Ben Simmons, where people did this to try to take away the paint, but (Amen) so quickly and explosively that we can put it everywhere in action and yet take it off,” Ouka said. “He understood how to put screens and mix it from the ball (too).”
Monday was a reminder of the rest of the NBA that Thompson and the missiles were legal. In less than a week, they knocked out the team with the best record twice (Cleveland) and the second family Celtics, two teams that look intended for the Eastern Conference finals. If the regular season begins with the desire to make the playoffs, the focus now focuses on how deep this team can make. This is a team that has the depth and talent to play well in April, May and even June. And we don’t have to leave Boston with a win to prove this, although it is a suitable gift for a trip with a journey.
“We feel great,” said Thompson. “We feel we can beat anyone and this trip really proved this.”
“We are halfway now and our record is as it is,” Ouka added. “It’s not just a fluc or something else. People watch a movie and they see the physicality and the way we play – it is a little different than the rest of the league. It may be attracted to people at first, but I would not say that at that moment of the season we are already sneaking up for anyone. “
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(Photo: Maddie Meyer / Getty Images)
