Amen Thompson bodies Dillon Brooks for the highlight bucket
The two best running backs in the league, Amen Thompson and Dillon Brooksfaced on Monday as Houston Rockets hosted by the Phoenix Suns at the Toyota Center.
They guarded each other early in the game, and in one instance, it was Thompson who beat Brooks.
After a defensive break, the Rockets went to a break. Kevin Durant threw the ball to Thompson, who immediately went downhill. Brooks tried to stop him from driving. Thompson, however, dusted off Brooks with a bump before you make the ball.
The move showcased Thompson’s improved build and his fearlessness in attacking the rim. He quickly developed into one of the best two-way players in the league with his athleticism, speed and competitiveness.
With Alperen Sengun sitting out for an extended period with an ankle injury, the 22-year-old Thompson is expected to pick up the bats and be more productive.
Entering the game against the Suns, he is averaging career highs of 18.0 points, 5.2 assists and 1.4 steals along with 7.4 rebounds.
Meanwhile, the 29-year-old Brooks likely has the ax to grind with the Rockets, as the team traded him, along with Jalen Green, to the Suns in the offseason in exchange for Durant. Brooks was an integral part of Houston’s run to the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference last season, but he was cut anyway.
The Rockets are trailing the Suns by a narrow margin in the second quarter at the time of writing.
2026-01-06 01:52:00
