Amen

Thompson

Amen Thompson is in danger of missing a second straight game with an ankle injury and could be replaced by Tari Eason again if ruled out. Jock Landale could step in as Alperen Sengun’s primary backup if Adams is ruled out.

Due to a sprained left ankle, which is the same one he injured in early March, Thompson has been scratched from the lineup for Tuesday’s game. Tari Eason is the replacement in the starting lineup, and he should be streamed in shallow leagues until Thompson is cleared to return. There’s no word on the severity of this sprain, but Thompson missed nearly two weeks due to the previous ankle injury.

Thompson returned after missing the last six games and played great. The 22-year-old point guard wasn’t on a minutes restriction as he played 35 minutes in the four-point victory. Thompson impacted the game every which way with 18 points, nine rebounds, five assists, seven steals, and a block. It’s good to have him back for both the Rockets and fantasy managers.

Thompson will be back after missing Houston’s last six games. He will also immediately return to the starting lineup, which will likely push Tari Eason to a reserve role. Eason and Jabari Smith Jr. should still play large roles off the bench, but Thompson doesn’t have a minutes restriction, so Eason and Smith Jr. will be slightly limited.

Reports from earlier in the week suggested that Thompson could make his return to the lineup against Miami, and the most recent injury report indicates that will likely be the case. Thompson should immediately slide back in to the starting lineup, which will push Tari Eason back to the bench and limit the minutes of both Eason and Jabari Smith Jr.

Eason’s line on Wednesday was excellent, as he filled the stat sheet outside of three-pointers. The five steals were one shy of his season and career highs, and Eason has scored 15 points or more in four straight outings. Since the All-Star break, Eason has provided fourth-round value in eight- and nine-cat formats. With Amen Thompson (ankle) likely returning on Friday, Tari may return to the bench. However, he should still be rostered in standard leagues.

Head coach Ime Udoka said that Thompson’s “one final hurdle” is to go through contact drills. Udoka was reportedly “hesitant” to put an exact date on Thompson’s return but said that he is progressing well. Even if Thompson doesn’t return against Miami, he could be back to close out the week against Denver on Sunday. Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason will continue to be in and out of the starting unit until Thompson returns, though both likely will come off the bench when the rotation is fully healthy.

Injured during Saturday’s win over the Pelicans, Thompson will miss multiple games with a sprained ankle. The severity of the injury remains unknown, but the Rockets will be without their second-year guard for Week 19 (Yahoo! leagues) at a minimum. Fred VanVleet (ankle) is questionable for Monday’s game against the Magic and would help fill the void if cleared to play. However, if he’s unable to return, the Rockets will need to rely more on Aaron Holiday.

While the results of Thompson’s MRI on his left ankle are unknown, what is known is that he will not play on Monday. With Fred VanVleet (ankle) questionable, he can slide into the spot left vacant by Thompson if allowed to play. However, if VanVleet is also out, Aaron Holiday would be in line for more minutes, potentially as a starter.

Thompson fell just shy of recording a triple-double with 15 points, nine rebounds and 11 assists prior to suffering an apparent left ankle injury during the fourth quarter of Saturday’s lopsided win over the Pelicans. He was spotted in the postgame locker room in a walking boot and exited the arena on crutches. There should be an update on his status at some point prior to Monday’s showdown against the Magic, but it looks like he’s going to wind up missing some time. Fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day for the moment.