Amen Thompson has 23 points in win over Bucks

Three games into the season, Thompson has three double-doubles. While that has been great for fantasy managers, it was the free throw shooting that stuck out. After shooting 3-of-5 in the opener, he has shot 10-of-10 over the last two games. Last season, he shot 77.9 percent from the floor after shooting 68.4 percent in each of his first two seasons. Any continued improvement will only make him more dangerous in fantasy basketball.

Thompson filled the stat sheet and had an excellent game for fantasy purposes against the Spurs. He also had the play of the game as he blocked an attempt from Victor Wembanyama in the final seconds to seal the win for the Rockets. Houston is 2-0 heading into Saturday night’s road game against the Hawks.

The fourth overall pick in the 2023 draft, Thompson has emerged as a key figure within the Rockets’ current build. His scoring output has increased in each of his three seasons, with the 6-foot-7 wing averaging 18.3 points per game in 2025-26. Thompson, who finished eighth in NBA Defensive Player of the Year voting, also accounted for 7.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.6 blocks per game while shooting 53.4 percent from the field. Despite the lack of three-point production, Thompson does enough in other areas to provide top-50 fantasy value. With Thursday’s contract extension and Kevin Durant set to turn 38 in late September, Thompson’s role should only grow in the years to come.

Thompson, who led the Rockets in scoring in Game 6, had two 20-point games in this series. While a highly valuable fantasy option, especially for managers punting three-pointers, the Rockets’ wing needs to improve his perimeter shot heading into the 2026-27 campaign. Thompson does not need to turn into the second coming of Stephen Curry, but a respectable jump shot could go a long way toward unlocking even more of his potential on the offensive end of the floor. Using a top-25 pick on Thompson in drafts next fall would not be that big of a reach in category league formats, while managers in points leagues can afford to wait a little bit.

Thompson exited Game 5 with 6:23 remaining in the second quarter, sitting for just over one minute before returning to action. And that would be the last time that the Rockets’ wing rested outside of halftime, and he played 46 of a possible 48 minutes. Not known for his perimeter shooting ability, Thompson hit two corner three-pointers in Game 5, somewhat making up for a 2-of-9 effort from inside the arc. Whether or not the shots are falling, Thompson is a critical member of the Rockets’ rotation, which means that he’s going to log heavy minutes on a nightly basis.

Thompson and the Rockets avoided the sweep with a commanding victory in Game 4, with their defense leading the way. Houston forced 23 turnovers on the night, leading to 30 points off turnovers. Add in 23 fast break points, and the Rockets were able to coast to a 19-point victory. Thompson, who logged 41 minutes, led the way offensively in both points and assists, and he has totaled 49 points over the last two games. The Rockets will need similar production in Game 5 on Wednesday.

After scoring a career-high 41 points in his final outing of the regular season, Thompson was held to less than half that number on Saturday. While he didn’t have a terrible night shooting the basketball, the Rockets’ guard’s inability to consistently hit jumpers can put him in a challenging spot when the opposition is locked in defensively. The Lakers were able to make Thompson play in a crowd for most of Game 1, limiting his effectiveness as a scorer. Getting Kevin Durant (knee) back for Tuesday’s Game 2 will help the entire Rockets’ roster, not just Thompson.

The Rockets don’t have playoff seeding to play for, as Friday’s loss to the Timberwolves locked them into the No. 5 seed in the West. Thompson and Smith will get Sunday night off, which should mean more playing time for Aaron Holiday and Jae’Sean Tate.

Thompson came out hot on Friday, as his 24 first-half points were the most in a half for him in his NBA career. The Rockets’ athletic wing finished with his first 40-point game while also recording nine rebounds and seven assists. Thompson’s offensive ceiling would be raised considerably if he could develop a consistent perimeter shot, but many teams struggle to keep Amen away from the basket as it is.

Thompson logged 42 minutes on Thursday and impacted the game in several areas. He left some meat on the bone as a scorer due to his poor free-throw shooting and inefficiency from beyond the arc, but still finished just under 20 for the game. Thompson didn’t dominate the glass or dial up a ton of assists, but he made contributions in each area, while his three steals helped the Rockets to an eight-game win streak. They’ll face the Timberwolves on Friday.