The Problem With Amen Thompson’s New Career High

And yet the Rockets lost. Thompson wasn’t even alone in performing well for the Rockets. All three of the Rockets’ leading scorers shot over 70% from the field. Kevin Durant went 13-of-18 for 72.2%. Alperen Sengun went 10-of-13 for 76.9%.

As a team, the Rockets shot 53-of-87 for 60.9% from the field overall. So how did they possibly lose? Hot seat head coach Ime Udoka would say defense. That’s fair, considering Houston gave up 57.3% from the field themselves.

However, the Rockets also shot just 4-of-19 from three. That’s 21.1% on volume you would expect in the early 2000s. The Wolves’ 15-of-30 from three is a difference of 33 points.

Thompson himself attempted just one three-pointer in the game, which was one of his five total misses. That makes sense, considering he averages 21.6% from three this season.

Funnily enough, another of Thompson’s misses was his very first shot attempt. It was a seemingly reckless driving floater emphatically blocked by the Wolves’ Joan Beringer. As the night unfolded, though, those seemingly reckless drives started to look unstoppable. That’s actually where Houston’s problem lies.

The Standout From Amen Thompson’s Career High

Thompson’s first made basket was a dump-off pass from a tripled Sengun for a dunk. In total, nine of his seventeen makes were assisted. Of his eight unassisted makes, however, only three were technically classified as layups. Instead, most of Thompson’s unassisted production came from jumpers and floaters in the lane. They were all off-the-dribble and contested. Some of them had a remarkable degree of difficulty and showcased exquisite touch. Crucially, though, they were all from a range of between eight and 13 feet.

Thompson has attempted 179 shots from an 8-16 foot range in 2025-26. Despite his effectiveness on Friday, he’s made just 36.3% of them overall. It would be fair to question the wisdom of emphasizing this part of Thompson’s game. However, four of Thompson’s jumpers against the Wolves were actually within just nine feet. Meanwhile, his misses included a couple of 15-footers.

From 5-9 feet, Thompson has shot 47.8% on 182 attempts in 2025-26. Among players with at least 150 attempts from that range, Thompson ranks 13th in percentage. The eight-foot floater is a legitimate offensive tool for Thompson. His size and athleticism allow him to manufacture these shots with surprising regularity. His touch on them is reminiscent of Zion Williamson.

Why it’s a Problem

Houston’s problem is that they also have Sengun. Sengun is second in the entire NBA in attempts from the same section of the court with 283. That’s just two behind Nikola Jokic. The thing is, Jokic averages 57.5% from there compared with Sengun’s 44.9%. That isn’t entirely Sengun’s fault, however, since the egregious lack of spacing on Houston’s roster (third-fewest three-point attempts in the league) makes his work harder than it ought to be. Also, any statistical comparison with Jokic is bound to end in tears.

But Thompson’s meager three-point percentage comes on just 1.5 attempts per game. Sengun averages just 30.5% on 1.8 per game. It’s been stated ad nauseam at this point, but unless one of Sengun or Thompson can diversify, their fit on a basketball court will remain nauseating. 5-9 feet isn’t a whole lot of real estate. One of them has to shoot for a little more range. As it is, even Thompson’s career high is a testament to dysfunctional basketball.