The Matt Thomas Show with Ross - Ime Udoka: 'A Lot Of Guys Are Benefiting From' Amen Thompson As A Starter

Episode Date: January 15, 2025

Jalen Green tied his career high with 42 points in Monday's 120-118 comeback win against the Memphis Grizzlies, but that does not overshadow the performance of Amen Thompson, who recorded an impressive stat line of his own. Thompson garnered 19 points, 13 rebounds, four assists, five blocks and two steals over 41 minutes to mark his 10th double-double of the season. The No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft is averaging 15.6 points, 11 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.9 blocks and 1.4 steals over his last eight games, seven of which Thompson was in the starting lineup. "A lot of guys are benefiting from him being in the lineup," Rockets head coach Ime Udoka said. Thompson replaced Jabari Smith Jr. as a starter after Smith broke his left hand during shootaround and will be out 4-6 weeks. While Thompson's shooting isn't the highlight of his game, he adds a faster pace, ball-handling skills and strong defense to a starting lineup that has led the Rockets to the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference. "He's going to compliment guys on both sides of the ball," Udoka said. Thompson's defensive instincts have taken pressure off his fellow starters, especially with Udoka matching him up against the opponent's more athletic players. "He blocks shots that normally guys can't get to...I'm not surprised by anything he's doing defensively," Udoka said.

Let's spend the next 10 minutes talking about that and all things Rockets with the head coach of your Houston Rockets in May Adoka. So, Coach, if I was to play a pickup game in Denver today with this thin air, would I feel extra tired after working out or would I feel just fine? Give me the honest answers. Do you feel fine if you're in shape? Well, you see me. That's another great thing to say, Coach. Thanks very much. I appreciate that very much.

How are things? Are you guys ready to go for tonight? It would be a good match. Denver came in after beating Denver pretty bad last night. Yeah, they had a good back-to-back against Dallas. Obviously, he played really well last night. We've been playing well lately, one, eight out of their last 10. You know, had some lumps early with some guys in the out of the lineup,

and others were stepping up now, so it would be a good challenge for us tonight. Hey, great wins against Memphis, your last two games, 16 to 31 from three-point range, and obviously that's not happened to a lot so far this year. How good was it to feel that to see the guys not only getting those shots, getting the open looks, the extra pass, but knocking them down as well. Yeah, it was great. I think, you know, a lot of these teams are packing the paint. You know, when the ED is out of the game,

where certain guys, they try to protect the paint by committee. And us being unselfish, you know, getting the paint touches, kicking out to wide-open shots is a good recipe for us. But then just like that, we had guys attacking down, he'll get into the basket. So it was a nice mix of all those things, getting to the frithal line as well, and making them at a higher clip than in Memphis.

And had to guard in the fourth quarter to get back in. it. Feels like we talk about Amin Thompson every week on this show and we're going to do it again. With him in the starting lineup in lieu of Jabari Smith Jr., I guess philosophically, I was wondering

how it was going to fit with the lack of shooting, but it has worked and the offense has been really good. Why is that? Well, we have a lot of our really good shooters in the first group anyway, so although Jabari's not there,

we get at a different rate, I guess. He's handling a lot more. Fred is being the recipient off ball. some obviously Jaylen shooting the ball extremely well and then Dylan's one of our most consistent so we still have the shooting there we just have another pace we can play out with him in the lineup obviously defensively we're not going to have any drop off with our men in there actually gives us more versatility to put him on some guys that we traditionally put Dylan on and Dylan can guard some of the bigs and take care of those actions and then like I said he's just getting other guys

going in pace and transition he's another guy that can break down the defense and make passes and so a lot of guys are benefiting from him being in the lineup. Last six games, 30 points on average from Jalen Green. What's working for him? And it feels like we've seen these runs before. What does he need to do to sustain it? Well, his confidence is aggressiveness, but not just settling for threes or whatever the team is trying to give him. He's still getting downhill, getting to the basket, get to the free throw line,

11 for 11 for the free throw line last game. And then he's reading the defense is better and making plays for everybody. And so all those things on the offensive end are great. He's taking the challenge defensively and had to put him on some tough matchups over those games you mentioned and held up really well there. And so just a combination of everything, becoming a more well-rounded player, competitive on both sides of the floor. But ultra-confident and aggressive on offense is always a good thing for him.

Fred has not had the type of shooting season. I think he would be happy about it as compared to what he's done in the past, but there have been nights where he's taking over games. Didn't shoot a lot against Memphis a couple nights back. is that a hey I like you doing more distribution get to other guys the hot hand or is it that he just he has still free reign and you said you don't want a night like this I got to let the other guys eat I think Fred is always going to take what the game gives him

and if it's a night where he has to be a facilitator and get everybody involved he'll do that gladly if teams are trying to take away Jalen and Alpi and some other guys and he has to score more he'll do that as well and so you've seen that obviously but I think inserting a man into the lineup gives us another ball handle that creates for everybody. And so he's not getting the same amount of reps as he was, you know, as far as the ball handling duty with the men and Jalen doing their part as well. And I think he's totally fine with that. He guards certain guys. He guarded Bain extremely well, five points in the first half and really well at their place.

And so he'll take on some certain matchups on that end. But I think it's good for him to have a break offensively at times and be a recipient of some of those passes and plays that guys are making. And so whatever is called upon, he'll do. Obviously, he saw him make a big three down the stretch for us, and he's done that throughout the year. As a dinner last night with Ryan Hollins, and he was like, I love the men and Jalen are on the floor at the same time. And obviously, you guys chart every different possession,

who's out there for how long? They play a lot with each other. So maybe this just latest run is not even worthy of noted. But do you notice something different when those two guys are each touching a ball, every trip down the floor, when they're on the floor for a significant period of time together? Yeah, well, even before a men started starting, him and Jalen were really good tandem on the floor together. We had seen that.

That was a great trend for us. And so it's just more of the same now that they're starting together, playing more minutes together. And so we'd like to pair them on the floor when I'm able to come out the bench. And like I said, they compliment each other very well. Both guys get out in transition. High Flyers can get out and run and push the pace. But I think Amin creates a lot of attention for guys and he can make those passes. So he's freeing it up for Jalen for Fred.

of those guys. That's why when you said a man being in the line, we haven't really missed the beat, and he's going to compliment guys on both sides of the ball, offensively, defensively, and plug him into any position, he'll make it work. Yeah, six, seven guys are supposed to block shots occasionally, but he had, what, five that are night. His just guessing just feels like the right thing, right? In terms of he just knows when the jump, he knows his opponents, he knows their tendencies,

and that's what makes a really good shot block, and not necessarily being always seven feet tall and bigger than that, right? No, I mean, his timing and instincts are great. You know, he blocks shots that normal guys can't get to. He blocks a lot of jump shots, which is one the hardest thing to do, obviously. But the weak side block was a big one late in the game as well. And so his timing is great. His instincts are great.

And even when he's out of position, he can still make up for it with his athleticism and physicality. And so reach for the one on Morant, didn't get it, and still was able to go off the floor again, you know, his first and second jumper so fast that he can contest a lot of shots. made Morant travel on one that he hung in the air too long, so he didn't get the block there, but contested that as well. So I like to put him on a lot of matchups, athletic guys that he can contest and use his strength and physicality,

and not surprised at all by anything he's doing defensively. Last question. We mentioned the Nuggets are playing a lot better. They destroyed Dallas for a second straight game in Dallas last night. We know about Murray. We know about Yolkich. We know about Porter. Tell me about what it's like watching Russ as a Denver Nugget.

Yeah, he's really infused energy and spark into that team. I think, you know, he's playing really well, starting out when Gordon was out. And he does a lot of what the men does for us as far as changing the pace and the energy and electricity brings that lineup. And so I think it was good for him to really infuse that into the team for them when Murray had a slow start or some guys were injured. And so he's been very consistent and has a nice two-man game going with Yokic,

whether he's handling or the recipient of the passes. And so, yeah, you still got to worry about the other guys. what he does for that team on both ends of the floor has really elevated them lately. But then you add in Jamal Murray, you know, with a 45-point game last night, and their natural scores. That's why it makes them such a tough matchup. All right, get some rest because we've got a tough road trip coming up. Sacramento tomorrow and then Portland on Saturday.

Thanks, coach, for the time. As always, we'll see at the arena later this evening. All right, thank you guys. You got it. That's he made, Doka. Rocket Tech Coach with us weekly here on Sports Talk 7.9.