Should Rockets Start Amen Thompson or Tari Eason?

The Houston Rockets are getting a lot of value from two young reserves.

Nov 8, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA;Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson (1) reaches to steal the ball from Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell (25) during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The Houston Rockets have gotten off to a strong start this season thanks to a number of different factors, including Amen Thompson and Tari Eason, who have been phenomenal off the bench for the team.

Bleacher Report writer Grant Hughes suggests the idea of inputting Thompson and Eason into the starting lineup.

"While it's understandable that head coach Ime Udoka might want to lean on a starting group with a couple of vets in it, the work Thompson and Eason are doing on D could lift the Rockets to another level. Houston absolutely dominates (plus-17.1 net rating; 94th-percentile defensive rating) whenever those two are on the court together," Hughes writes. "At the very least, the Rockets need to acknowledge that both Thompson and Eason are bigger parts of the team's long-term plans than VanVleet and Brooks. More immediately, the defensive upside alone is worth exploring more."

Given the fact that the Rockets have invested more money into Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks, they will likely remain the starters — at least for now. Their seniority also has an impact on the machinations of the lineups, but Ime Udoka may not be afraid to make a change if needed.

That being said, Thompson and Eason have been so strong off the bench that it may not make sense to break that mojo. Eventually, one or both of them would make sense for the Rockets moving forward.

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