ORLANDO, Fla. — Amen Thompson had an uneven debut with the Houston Rockets, but the team isn’t necessarily concerned with the performance of the fourth pick.
Thompson finished with eight points, five rebounds and two assists in a 116-86 loss to the Orlando Magic on Wednesday. He went 3-of-10 from the field, including 1-of-7 from 3-point range, in 21 minutes off the bench as the Rockets lost their sixth straight season opener.
He was happy to get the game out of the way.
“It definitely feels good, something I dreamed of my whole life,” Thompson said after the game. “But regardless of how it went, it is the first game. … A lot of areas to improve on. Some good things, some bad things but (we’re) onto the next.”
The Rockets cut a 17-point first-half deficit to one point midway through the third quarter, but the Magic countered with a 24-7 run to take an 18-point lead into the fourth period. The Magic outscored the Rockets by 12 points in the final frame to coast to their largest season-opening win in franchise history.
“They were the tougher team,” Rockets head coach Ime Udoka said. “They got every 50-50 ball; 16 offensive rebounds. They finished with seven-plus shots, but they were up 15 or so for most of the game. They were the aggressor tonight.”
First career 3 for Amen Thompson! pic.twitter.com/O93x3VXqgy
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) October 26, 2023
Thompson showed flashes of what prompted the Rockets to take him high in the draft this year. He produced his first point at the free-throw line and eventually connected on a midrange shot for his first made field goal in the NBA.
The Rockets played Thompson with both the second unit and starters. The team wanted to take advantage of his versatility and ability to play on or off the ball next to Fred VanVleet, Jalen Green and others.
“He can play with a lot of different guys,” Udoka said. “He can take the burden off of Fred handling every time. (He) also plays with Jalen in a lot of different lineups, so sometimes he is on the ball and off the ball. It is a luxury for us that he can spell guys and do multiple things out there.”
Overall, though, Thompson struggled to affect the game.
The 20-year-old turned the ball over four times and looked uncomfortable in spurts on the court. He, along with the rest of the team, played with some jitters throughout the contest, which prompted Udoka to question their effort and toughness.
Despite an uneven debut, the Rockets are confident in Thompson and his abilities. They believe in him and know his performance will help prepare him for the future.
“(He is) a hell of a player,” VanVleet said. “The sky is the limit for him. First game jitters; his first NBA game. He is still very, very young in this league. He’ll find his way. A little jittery, which is perfectly normal. I have no doubts about him or his game going forward. He is going to be a special player in this league.”
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