The Houston Rockets concluded their 2025 preseason with a perfect 4-0 record after their 133-115 victory over the Atlanta Hawks. The Rockets rested all of their regular rotation players, except for Reed Sheppard, who had a game-high 29 points in the win.
The Rockets have gotten a good look at their entire active roster as they have played the whole team in three out of the four games, with the third game being the only game where they had their potential regular rotation. When it comes to the preseason, of course, most of the results have to be taken with a grain of salt.
Most teams are not running complex offensive and defensive sets. They are usually playing everyone on their roster, and players are not going full speed the entire game, as the preseason is more about building up game stamina and, in some cases, building on-court chemistry.
That being said, there are aspects of how a team and individuals play that can stand out even in preseason. For instance, if a team is on the same page regarding defensive rotations and moving the ball on offense, that can translate to the regular season. For players, a tighter handle than the previous season and more confidence shooting the ball, which leads to more consistency, can carry over into the 82-game regular season.
For one player, shooting has been the one roadblock in an exceptional first two seasons in the NBA. Amen Thompson has taken the league by storm with his combination of not just otherworldly athletic ability but also high basketball IQ. Thompson had a breakout season last season as he not only made All-Defensive First Team but also helped lead the Rockets to their first playoff appearance since 2020.
Thompson showed improvement from the field and the 3-point line in his second season, making 17 more 3-pointers and shooting better. Even though he still only shot .275 from beyond the arc, he shot a respectable 37 percent from corner 3-pointers. Thompson has shown even more improvement in his three 2025 preseason games.
Through three preseason games that Thompson played in the second year, the rising star shot .667 from downtown, going 4-6. Of course, it is a small sample size in games and attempts, but remember, Thompson isn't someone who relies solely on 3-point shooting. Thompson can get to the basket on anyone in the league and can score off the fastbreak or offensive rebounds. Even a slight improvement in volume would make Thompson an even more explosive player on the offensive end.
Probably even more encouraging has been Thompson's free-throw shooting. Thompson has only shot .684 from the line in both of his seasons, which isn't horrible, but with his attempts increasing this season, it is an area that needs improving. So far this preseason, Thompson is 11-12 from the charity stripe for a robust .912 from the line.
Teams had started to foul Thompson even more in the paint, as they prefer him going to the line compared to giving up an easy dunk. If Thompson can carry this improved shooting into the season, you will see him playing in Inglewood, California, on Feb. 15 in his first-ever All-Star game.
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