Is Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson a dirty player?

Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson is on the rise as one of the best defensive players in the league. Thompson was recently named the Western Conference Defensive Player of the Month for January. Thompson's play this season however have pushed the boundaries of what is considered fair play and maybe has evened earned him  a reputation as a dirty player.

Earlier this season Thompson was suspended two games for his involvement in an altercation with Miami Heat all-star Tyler Herro. NBA referee Marc Davis described the incident as "Thompson body slams Herro". Most recently, Thompson was involved in another incident last night against Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. Thompson was issued a flagrant foul 2 for pulling Antetokounmpo down by his head and neck during the 4th quarter of the game. Antetokounmpo had no hard feelings toward Thompson after the foul.

"At the end of the day like you don't want to have a league that's soft," Antetokounmpo said when asked about the play. "I love guys that play hard. I love guys that they're great competitors."I'm one of those guys. Sometimes your competitive nature gets in the way [of] making the best decision, the best judgment at the time. And I feel like he wanted to make it a hard foul, but he grabbed my neck. But there's no hard feelings."

The NBA has cracked down on reckless plays in recent years, and with an increased focus on player safety, repeat offenders like Thompson may face stiffer consequences if they continue their aggressive ways.