Amen Thompson and Tari Eason Might be the Rockets' Best Duo

The Rockets are one of the deepest teams in the league. Ime Udoka has already gone 13-deep into the roster this season, and two players stand out from the rest.

Oct 25, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson (1) shakes hands with fans after the game against the Memphis Grizzlies at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Houston Rockets head caoch Ime Udoka seems to still be figuring out rotations, but two players have shared the court together during most of their minutes and made the most of it: Amen Thompson and Tari Eason.

Two games ago, against the Golden State Warriors, the two players showed just how good they can be. Down 31, the they led an impressive comeback, with the Rockets falling short of winning. Eason had 27 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three blocks in 35 minutes of play. Thompson had 18 points, 11 rebounds and a steal.

Against the New York Knicks last night, the two combined for 14 rebounds. Eason had a block while the sophomore forward added a steal.

However, statlines don't justify the synergy between the two. They bring immense physicality to the team and are both strong defensive threats. The players are the perfect example of defense creating offense. Eason and Thompson are, debatably, Houston's biggest momentum shifters.

Their offensive game is not perfect, but for both, it is a work in progress. Eason has been shooting career-highs at 38.9% from three and 54.4% from the field. Thompson, on the other hand, has quite a bit of work to do on with his shooting. He is shooting 22.2% from three and 51% from the field.

Aside from his shooting, he is an offensive force inside of the arc. The guard showed his offensive skillset last night in the clutch. A phenomenal play was designed to get him or Fred VanVleet an open shot. Jalen Green carries the ball up the court, and Thompson comes to set a screen, forcing a double team. VanVleet is left open in the right corner during his best shooting night of the season. Thompson rolls to the paint and Green passes him the ball. The former Overtime Elite guard could have passed the ball to VanVleet for an open three to bring Houston up by six with 1:33 left in the forth, but he did something more impressive. He caught the ball mid-air and performed a fake pass to the veteran guard while in the air, causing Knick's Mikal Bridges to get lost. It created an easy dunk for Thompson, helping ice the game for the Rockets, now up five points.

Thompson's offensive skillset is not for stats. He finds ways to get his teammates open looks and has also come up big in the clutch this season. Being 6-foot-7, 200 pounds while being able to play like a point guard has made it easy for him to attack the rim. He has an insanely quick acceleration, allowing him to get to the rim with ease. Able to rebound and score in the clutch, he has been a big part of Houston's wins this season.

The duo of Thompson and Eason have been phenomenal on the court together, and should start to see more playing time as the season goes on. Udoka needs to take advantage of these two on the floor at the same time, because the energy and momentum trends to sway towards his team.

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