Tuesday, the NBA introduced that Houston Rockets The guardian / striker Amen Thompson was appointed defensive participant of the western Kia convention for the month of January. The prize has been established this season, making Thompson the primary recipient within the historical past of the franchise.
The Rockets went 11-4 in January, Thompson beginning his 12 of his video games performed whereas making a median of 18.7 factors, 10.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 2.2 interceptions and 1.5 blocks. He was the one participant within the League to have a median of at the least 2.0 interceptions and 1.0 blocks per sport final month.
In keeping with NBA.com, Thompson was one of many three gamers in January which on common at the least 20.0 minutes performed whereas representing at the least 40.0% of the blocks of his crew, 25.0% of interceptions and 30, 0% of defensive rebounds. For the month, the Rockets have a median file of 10.7 interceptions of the League and compelled the third highest reversals (16.1 per) whereas scoring the third largest factors (20.5 per).
Houston authorizes the sixth largest level per sport within the NBA this season (108.8) and ranks sixth in protection on the sector (45.5%). Thompson has the seventh proportion of targets on the bottom discipline (41.2%) of any participant with greater than 20 video games performed whereas defending at the least 10.0 photographs per sport.
Total, Thompson is on common 13.9 factors, 8.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.4 interceptions and 1.2 blocks per sport this season. He joined Jalen Johnson from Atlanta as solely gamers on common at the least 8.0 rebounds, 1.3 interceptions and 1.0 blocks.
In 19 video games as a starter this season, Thompson has a median of 17.9 factors, 10.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.9 interceptions and 1.7 blocks. He is likely one of the six gamers with greater than 5 departures this season which has a median of at the least 17 factors, 10 rebounds and 4 assists as starters (becoming a member of Alperen Sangun, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jalen Johnson, Nikola Jokić and Sabonis Domantas).
On Monday, February 3 in New York, Thompson recorded his third triple-double in profession with 25 factors, 11 rebounds and a profession summit of 11 assists. He scored greater than 20 factors in 9 of his final 23 video games performed after doing it 4 occasions in his first 85 profession video games. Thompson already has 14 double doubles this season after having recorded 13 as a recruit in 2023-24.
With Thompson in an excellent position in sight and beginning for nearly all month, Houston completed January at 32-15 and in place No. 2 of the Western Convention classification. It’s a spectacular enchancment for a franchise which occurred 41-41 within the recruit season of Thompson and 22-60 in 2022-2023, the yr previous the arrival of Thompson as a worldwide selection n ° 4 First spherical in 2023 of the NBA in 2023.
Extra: The NBA names Houston’s IME UDOKA as a western convention coach of January for January
This text initially appeared on Wire Rockets: Amen Thompson wins the honors of the defensive participant of the month for January
