Which Rocket Ranked Best in Opponent Field Goal Percentage?

One Rocket stood above the rest when it came to opponents field goal percentage.

Mar 10, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings forward Trey Lyles (41) dribbles against Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson (right) during the second quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The Houston Rockets went from one of the worst defensive teams to a top-10 team last season. With the hiring of Ime Udoka, the Rockets' culture did a complete 180. Along with Udoka, the arrival of Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks played a big part in the team's turnaround.

Even though defense is a team effort, some players stand out as the best. These players are usually the most versatile defenders on the team. You had to play 20 minutes per game and at least 60 games for the season to be on this list. One player stood out when looking at last year's opponents' field goal percentage:

The NBA defines defensive field goal percentage as "the opponent's field goal percentage on shots when the player is defending the shot." Rookie point guard Amen Thompson was the best Rocket in terms of this stat last season.

He had a slow start to his NBA career, spending most of the season on the injured list. Once Thompson recovered from his early injury, he started to show everyone what made him a top-five player in the 2023 draft.

When he received consistent playing time, It didn't take him long to become one of the Rockets most versatile defenders. Last season, he held opponents to 45.3 percent from the field.

Thompson showed his versatility by guarding every position on the court. He also showed that he could even guard the future Hall of Famers. One of the best defensive plays of the season was when he blocked Kevin Durant's jump shot, which led to a dunk on the other end.

Thompson continue to play outstanding defense especially in the second half of the season.

As the above clip shows, Thompson has exceptional instincts and the physical tools to dominate on the defensive end for years. To put it in perspective, Thompson had a higher defensive field goal percentage than Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren.

Thompson already showed flashes of being one of the best defenders in the NBA and is well on his way to All-Defensive Team honors sooner rather than later.

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