<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-news-amen-thompson-rejects-anthony-davis-block');   ga('set', 'title', 'Rockets’ Amen Thompson rejects Anthony Davis with epic block');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Rockets-guard-Amen-Thompson-vs-Hawks-in-preseason.jpg"><figcaption>Troy Taormina-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Rockets’ Amen Thompson rejects Anthony Davis with epic block</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-06T19:00:40-08:00">December 6th, 7:00pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-06T19:09:38-08:00">December 6th, 7:09pm</time><address><a href="http://hoopnut.blogspot.com/">Enzo Flojo</a>Enzo Flojo is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints and a columnist for Asian basketball at FIBA. He brings a dynamic spirit and background, having expertise that spans writing, analytics, coaching, and broadcasting. He is also currently an Assistant Coach on Scouting &amp; Analytics for the Philippine national youth basketball team.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Houston Rockets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-news-amen-thompson-reed-sheppard-punch-face">Houston Rockets second-year wing Amen Thompson</a> authored one of the early highlight-reel moments of the 2025-26 NBA season. He emphatically rejected a second-quarter rim attack by Dallas Mavericks star Anthony Davis during Saturday’s matchup. The explosive block showcased Thompson’s elite athleticism and timing. He sent Davis’ attempt into the stands and ignited the Rockets’ bench amid a tight Texas rivalry game. It underscored Thompson’s elite athleticism and defensive instincts as Houston continues its ascent in the Western Conference.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Amen Thompson REJECTS Anthony Davis at the rim 🤯<a href="https://t.co/9eNjuu8qV2">pic.twitter.com/9eNjuu8qV2</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1997490606034338262?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>The Rockets have opened the season at 15-5. They have surged to No. 2 in the West entering this weekend. Houston also leads the Southwest Division behind a well-balanced attack and one of the league’s stingiest defenses. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-news-amen-thompson-kevin-durant-best-player-ever">Kevin Durant has anchored the scoring load</a> at 25.2 points per game. Alperen Sengun has continued his evolution as a top-tier facilitator at 7.1 assists nightly. Steven Adams remains a rebounding force. Thompson’s emphatic block on Davis symbolized Houston’s growing confidence and physical identity. That’s even as the team briefly navigates Sengun’s absence due to illness.</p><p>Individually, Thompson has emerged as a cornerstone two-way engine. Across 20 games, he is averaging 17.9 points, 7.1 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.3 steals on 48.8 percent shooting. <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1997490606034338262" rel="noopener">His rejection of AD</a> was the latest example of his rising defensive credentials. It also showcases a leap in responsibility and production as Houston positions itself as a legitimate contender in the early playoff race.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Rockets’ Amen Thompson rejects Anthony Davis with epic block

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-news-amen-thompson-kevin-durant-best-player-ever');   ga('set', 'title', 'Rockets’ Amen Thompson puts Kevin Durant into ‘best player ever’ conversation scoring milestone');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Amen-Thompson-1-and-forward-Kevin-Durant-7-celebrate-after-a-play.jpg"><figcaption>© Troy Taormina-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Rockets’ Amen Thompson puts Kevin Durant into ‘best player ever’ conversation scoring milestone</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-06T00:33:33-08:00">December 6th, 12:33am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-06T00:34:27-08:00">December 6th, 12:34am</time><address><a>Yasmin Edañol</a>Yasmin D.G. Edañol is a PhD candidate in Chemistry at the University of the Philippines Diliman, with a background in scientific research and publishing. He brings a data-driven perspective to sports storytelling as an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints, with a focus on the NBA. Whether it's breaking down a clutch play or a stat line, he believes every great moment has a deeper layer waiting to be uncovered.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Houston Rockets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Fifteen-time All-Star <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-news-young-kevin-durant-expected-score-31000-points">Kevin Durant’s climb up the all-time scoring ladder reached another historic mark</a> on a night that felt bigger than the box score. As the Houston Rockets rolled to another confident win, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-news-kevin-durant-historic-company-31000-points">Kevin Durant crossed 31000 career points</a>, a milestone that pushed him past Shaquille O’Neal and placed him just behind Wilt Chamberlain in NBA history. The Rockets felt the weight of it. The crowd did, too. And Amen Thompson <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1997183106848342257" rel="noopener">made sure</a> the moment landed exactly as it should.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">"He's [Kevin Durant] one of the best players ever."</p><p>Amen Thompson LOVES playing with Kevin Durant 😅</p><p>(via <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBA</a>)<br> <a href="https://t.co/3XR0j4Lu4W">pic.twitter.com/3XR0j4Lu4W</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1997183106848342257?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 6, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>After the game, Thompson couldn’t hide his awe. “I never imagined I’ll be playing with him,” he said, voice still buzzing from the win. “He’s one of the best players ever. It’s just crazy to watch first-hand.” His words carried the honesty of a young Rockets star watching Kevin Durant rewrite his own career points history in real time.</p><h2>A milestone that reshapes the moment for the Rockets</h2><p>With that milestone, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-news-ime-udoka-celebrates-kevin-durant-31000-point-milestone">Durant becoming the 8th player ever to surpass 31,000 points</a> changes both conversation and legacy. From here, he now chases Chamberlain on the list, and every jumper brings him closer. Still, his scoring remains surgical and his pace remains steady. And through it all, his presence continues to anchor the Rockets’ rise.</p><p>For Amen Thompson, meanwhile, the milestone becomes both inspiration and instruction for the Rockets. Because playing next to someone still climbing historic territory forces growth. It tightens habits. It accelerates development. Soon enough, the Rockets feel that shift, and fans can already see the impact across tight games and closing stretches.</p><p>In the bigger picture, the Rockets’ ceiling now moves with Kevin Durant’s 31000-point milestone and his steady ascent. The belief will keep building as he climbs higher. And if this is only the beginning, who’s ready to see how far Durant can take this Rockets team?</p><p>The Rockets take on the lowly Dallas Mavericks in their next outing.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Rockets’ Amen Thompson puts Kevin Durant into ‘best player ever’ conversation scoring milestone

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-news-kevin-durant-explains-why-he-went-rouge-on-amen-thompson');   ga('set', 'title', 'Rockets’ Kevin Durant explains why he went ‘rouge’ on Amen Thompson');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Amen-Thompson-1-and-forward-Kevin-Durant-7-celebrate-after-a-play.jpg"><figcaption>© Troy Taormina-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Rockets’ Kevin Durant explains why he went ‘rouge’ on Amen Thompson</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-11-21T12:30:31-08:00">November 21st, 12:30pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-11-21T12:30:31-08:00">November 21st, 12:30pm</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Houston Rockets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant clarified <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8_u9X1Ob8U&amp;t=564s" rel="noopener">why he went “rogue”</a> during a key late-game possession involving teammate Amen Thompson in the team’s <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-news-kevin-durant-pulls-even-with-russell-westbrook-with-latest-nba-feat">117–113 overtime win over the Orlando Magic</a> last Sunday. Durant addressed the moment during an appearance on the Up &amp; Adams Show with Kay Adams, explaining the decision that circulated widely on social media.</p><p>Durant’s comments came in response to Adams asking about the sequence in which Thompson approached to set a screen, only for Durant to wave him off to isolate against Orlando’s second-year forward Tristan da Silva in a one-on-one situation.</p><p>“Once I go rouge like that. We’re a new team this is our first 15 games with each other. They haven’t seen me go rouge that often. You know I do go rouge,” Durant said. “But at the end of the game I kind of, in that moment, it was like, alright I got it now. K is just going to take him off the dribble. So he gets it now. And there’ll be times he just be like, ‘I got it.’ and I’ll be sitting over there like okay go get it. That’s just normal man, that’s what we do.”</p><p>Durant finished with 35 points, six assists, five rebounds and a block while shooting 13-for-24 and 7-for-7 at the free-throw line across 45 minutes. Thompson added 12 points, 10 rebounds and two assists in 39 minutes, contributing strong defense and activity inside while shooting 4-for-13.</p><h2><b>Rockets’ rising trio fuels win streak as Kevin Durant prepares for return to Phoenix</b></h2><p>Houston has carried that momentum into its latest stretch, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-news-alperen-sengun-torches-cavs-historic-stat-line">defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers 114–104</a> on Wednesday to extend its win streak to five games and improve to 10–3. The surge has been fueled by Durant’s scoring and shot creation, Thompson’s defensive versatility and playmaking, and the continued rise of Alperen Sengun.</p><p>Durant, in his first season with the Rockets, has taken on a leadership role for a roster rebuilt around his experience and complemented by Sengun’s expanding responsibilities and Thompson’s growth. The late-game sequence against Orlando highlighted how the group is still learning each other’s tendencies as they settle into their early-season identity.</p><p>Houston resumes its <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-news-jabari-smith-jr-steven-adams-injury-report-nba-cup-showdown-nuggets">NBA Cup schedule Friday night when it hosts the Denver Nuggets</a> (11–3) at 9:30 p.m. ET on Prime Video. That matchup precedes a challenging four-game road trip with multiple storylines tied to Durant’s past.</p><p>The trip begins Monday with Durant’s first return to Phoenix since being traded from the Suns in a seven-team offseason deal. Phoenix enters at 9–6. On Wednesday, the Rockets will travel to face the Golden State Warriors (9–8) at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN, marking another reunion for Durant, who won two championships across three seasons with the franchise.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Rockets’ Kevin Durant explains why he went ‘rouge’ on Amen Thompson

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-news-amen-thompson-reed-sheppard-punch-face');   ga('set', 'title', 'Why Rockets’ Amen Thompson told Reed Sheppard he’d ‘punch him in face’');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Rockets-guard-Amen-Thompson-vs-Wizards.jpg"><figcaption>Erik Williams-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Why Rockets’ Amen Thompson told Reed Sheppard he’d ‘punch him in face’</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-11-13T10:49:21-08:00">November 13th, 10:49am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-11-13T12:57:38-08:00">November 13th, 12:57pm</time><address><a>Yasmin Edañol</a>Yasmin D.G. Edañol is a PhD candidate in Chemistry at the University of the Philippines Diliman, with a background in scientific research and publishing. He brings a data-driven perspective to sports storytelling as an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints, with a focus on the NBA. Whether it's breaking down a clutch play or a stat line, he believes every great moment has a deeper layer waiting to be uncovered.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Houston Rockets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-news-reed-sheppard-emerging-reliable-asset-kevin-durant">Houston Rockets walked off the floor with Reed Sheppard looking sensational</a>, but Amen Thompson didn’t seem impressed, at least not in a serious way. His mix of honesty, swagger, and playful toughness stole the conversation after the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/why-rockets-made-right-choice-moving-on-cam-whitmore">Rockets’ win over the Washington Wizards</a>. Nothing about his message was subtle. Nothing about it was soft. And yet, inside Houston’s locker room, it landed exactly as intended. The Rockets know their young core grows through moments like this, even when the words sound sharper than the mood.</p><p>“Amen told me in the weight room just a minute ago,” Reed Sheppard <a href="https://x.com/danielle_lerner/status/1988817416437244058" rel="noopener">said</a>, via Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle, “he said, ‘But if you take one more dribble when you’re open and there’s no shooting, I’m gonna punch you in the face.’”</p><p>Thompson didn’t deny it. In fact, he doubled down. When asked to confirm the quote, he simply said, “I did say that.”</p><h2>A message wrapped in motivation</h2><p>This wasn’t anger. This was competition. And from Thompson’s perspective, it was necessary. He wants the Rockets to play fast, trust the pass, and punish defenses that hesitate to rotate.</p><p>Meanwhile, Sheppard is one of the cleanest shooters Houston has drafted in years. Thompson knows it. The team knows it. Even the Wizards noticed it while reviewing the Rockets’ preseason tape.</p><p>So Thompson pushed Sheppard. In a league built on spacing and quick decisions, an open look is gold. That’s why Thompson refuses to let a teammate throw it away.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-5-game-winning-streak-fun-now-comes-hard-part">The exchange also showed how quickly the Rockets’ chemistry is forming</a>. No tension. No ego. Just two young guards pushing each other under the bright lights of a franchise ready to climb again. The Rockets want to be physical, fearless, and precise. Thompson’s challenge captured all of it in one loud, unforgettable line.</p><p>Houston basketball feels alive again. So the only question left is simple: how far can this young core push the Rockets once the real season pressure hits?</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Why Rockets’ Amen Thompson told Reed Sheppard he’d ‘punch him in face’

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/detroit-pistons/pistons-news-jalen-duren-ejected-scuffle-amen-thompson');   ga('set', 'title', 'Jalen Duren ejected after scuffle with Rockets’ Amen Thompson');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Jalen-Duren.jpg"><figcaption>Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Jalen Duren ejected after scuffle with Rockets’ Amen Thompson</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-24T18:51:55-07:00">October 24th, 6:51pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-24T19:01:13-07:00">October 24th, 7:01pm</time><address><a>Zachary Draves</a>Zachary Draves is a sportswriter and broadcaster based in the Quad Cities of Illinois and Iowa. Zachary covers a variety of different sports as well as sports history, sport and society, and sport and culture. He is also a professor of sociology.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Detroit Pistons</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duran may be in <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/detroit-pistons/pistons-rumors-jaden-ivey-jalen-duren-in-good-standing-with-detroit-after-no-contract-extensions">good standing with the organization</a>. However, that isn’t the case with Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson. That was on full display on Friday when Duren was kicked out off the game for getting into a fight with Thompson.</p><p>The fracas <a href="https://x.com/Pistons__Talk/status/1981890584936644979" rel="noopener">led a referee</a> to say on repeat, “grab your guys”, per Pistons Talk.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Jalen Duren got into an altercation with Amen Thompson, prompting an NBA official to repeatedly say, ‘Grab your guys. <a href="https://t.co/uDgtxhozlV">pic.twitter.com/uDgtxhozlV</a></p><p>— Pistons Talk (@Pistons__Talk) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pistons__Talk/status/1981890584936644979?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 25, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>In transition, the ball was lobbed to Duren. As he was going up for the shot, his head was wrapped around by Thompson. After the whisle was blown, Duren pushed Thompson back leading them to broken up.</p><p>Prior to his ejection, Duren played 12 total minutes. Along the way, he scored 6 points and grabbed six rebounds.</p><p>Duren is beginning his fourth season with the Pistons. Last year, he averaged 15.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game while averaging 20.0 minutes a game. In March, Duren was playing in the game when the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/pistons-timberwolves-get-into-heated-altercation-that-spills-over-to-crowd">Pistons and Timberwolves got into brawl</a>.</p><p>Though Duren didn’t recieve an ejection then, his teammates Isiah Stewart, Ron Holland, and Marcus Sasser were.</p><p>The Pistons are coming off losing their season opener to the Chicago Bulls 115-111 on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Duren is in <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/detroit-pistons/pistons-rumors-jalen-duren-want-north-30-million-annually-wont-happen">negotations over a contract extension</a>, specifically demanding $30 million annually.</p><h2><b>Not a complete departure from how Jalen Duren typically is with the Pistons</b></h2><p>When it comes to Duren, he is <a href="https://www.prospectiveinsight.com/post/jalen-duren#:~:text=off%2Dcourt%20personality.,come%20back%20home%2C%20and%20chill." rel="noopener">fairly mild mannered</a>. On the court, he can be intense and plays with plenty of passion. Off the court, Duren comes across as very friendly and loyal.</p><p>In the throws of the game, Duren doesn’t relent. He is very hardworking, loud, and likes to bring the fire. Anyone who gets in the way of that, Duren wouldn’t stand for it.</p><p>In March 2024, Duren was <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/basketball/news/pistons-jalen-duren-ejected-against-dallas/" rel="noopener">kicked out of a game</a> against the Dallas Mavericks for getting into it with P.J. Washington.</p><p>When he is away from the game, Duren is a family oreinted person and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmREtRxLqiQ&amp;t=399" rel="noopener">likes to give back</a> to the community</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2025-26 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
17.2	6.4	5.0	0.4	1.6

2025-26 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
17.2	6.4	5.0	0.4	1.6

Amen Thompson

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Jalen Duren ejected after scuffle with Rockets’ Amen Thompson

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