The Houston Rockets are trying to make a run for the play-in tournament as they take on the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday. However, things took a turn after star rookie, Amen Thompson, was ejected from the game for shoving Maxi Kleber.
Early on in the contest, Thompson blatantly pushed Kleber to the ground. Game officials eventually called it a flagrant two and ejected the Rockets’ small forward from the game.
Although the Rockets ended the first quarter with a 42-27 lead, this isn’t an ideal situation for Houston. They’re trying to keep their playoff hopes alive but a boneheaded play from Thompson could change the tide of this contest. The NBA may consider fining Amen Thompson for his actions. However, that won’t be known until after the game.
It’s not clear what set off the initial shove. But whatever happened it’s not a great decision for Thompson to push his opponent to the ground. Especially with the Rockets fighting for a play-in tournament spot. Even if they’re a long shot to participate.
With that said, the refs in this Rockets-Mavericks game might be trying to prevent these teams from clashing too much . After hitting a tough shot, the refs called a technical on Luka Doncic for celebrating. Hilariously enough, they didn’t seem to care that Dillon Brooks was clapping in Doncic’s face after the call was made.
Amen Thompson has had a solid rookie campaign overall. He’s excellent on the boards and is still developing as a scorer. Give this kid some time to develop and the Rockets could have star on their hands. This season, Thompson has averaged 9.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game.
Rockets bright future
Even if the Rockets miss out on the playoffs this season, the franchise has an incredibly bright future. They have several exciting prospects with Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., and Alperen Sengun figuring it out in the league.
Houston has been involved in numerous trade rumors and could be a team to watch for in the offseason. It’d be smart to continue building around guys like Green and Sengun. However, the Rockets could potentially send them away in a big trade package.
But whatever happens, Houston is in position to make some big moves this coming offseason. If they can make the right moves the Rockets could be more of a playoff threat this time next year. They already have a nice lineup and the front office will have the opportunity to build upon it.
After several years of being at the bottom of the league it looks like the Rockets are well on their way to righting the ship. The front office has followed a similar rebuilding strategy as the Oklahoma City Thunder, who have become one of the best teams in the league.
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