HOUSTON — Rockets head coach Ime Udoka paced the sidelines early in Friday’s first quarter, as he watched his starting lineup replicate the same type of lethargic chemistry and execution they had displayed in a terrible 127-105 loss at New Orleans a night earlier.
The Suns, who were also playing on night two of a back-to-back, opened with an early offensive burst that made the Rockets look like they were running through mud on both ends of the floor.
Midway through the first quarter, Phoenix had taken a 16-point lead while holding Houston to just six points. Udoka had seen enough of the slow start and knew that he needed some type of energy boost to revitalize Houston’s offense, along with the Toyota Center crowd.
As he looked down the bench, he knew he had two players, rookies Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore, who are the equivalent of human energy drinks. Upon entering, they were able to put the Suns on their heels as they got up and down the court, applying pressure by getting into the paint and making play after play.
First, it was a Thompson layup. Then, a Whitmore layup. Thompson brought the crowd to its feet with a fast-break dunk — and then, a few possessions later, Whitmore brought them out of their seats again by making a 3-pointer from 27 feet. That trimmed what had been a 22-6 deficit to 24-18, and Houston was back in the game.
“Just do whatever my team needs me to do to win,” said Houston Rockets rookie guard Amen Thompson when asked about his role on the court late in games. #Rockets #Sarge @TheRocketsWire pic.twitter.com/YP4aOUsgHz
— #SARGE (@BigSargeSportz) February 24, 2024
It was just what Udoka and the rest of the Rockets (25-31) needed to help put them on track to a 114-110 victory over the Suns (33-24). It came as no surprise to Houston’s head coach, or the rest of the team, that the two rookies selected in the first round of the 2023 draft are starting to get acclimated to the pace of NBA games.
Thompson’s defense and offense were a big spark for Houston, as he finished the game with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Whitmore chipped in with 15 points off the bench, as well.
With forward Dillon Brooks in foul trouble for most of the game, Udoka used Thompson’s versatility by playing him frequently at small forward. It’s not that unusual for the athletic 21-year-old, who can play every position but center. Thompson matched up with superstars Kevin Durant and Devin Booker numerous times, and he even got a blocked shot on 7-foot-2 reserve forward Bol Bol.
“You can see everything starting to slow down for them,” Udoka said of Thompson and Whitmore after Wednesday’s practice. “The experiences they are starting to lean on as they go. When you are 50 games in, I don’t look at you as a rookie anymore. So, they have learned from certain things and been through it all a little bit.”
The energy and ferocity that Thompson and Whitmore brought to the game rubbed off on the starters, as they increased the tempo and continued to push the pace for the rest of the game.
“We played too slow and not aggressive starting off,” said guard Fred VanVleet, who finished as Houston’s top scorer with 23 points.
“They (Suns) were able to feel their way in and get their rhythm,” VanVleet said. “So, I thought the young guys coming in off the bench changed the game with their defense, and we got steals and stops, and we were able to play in transition. That is when we are at our best. So, they definitely gave us a big spark.”
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