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HOUSTON -- Rockets guard Amen Thompson left Monday’s victory in Washington early after rolling his right ankle in the fourth quarter, but he won’t miss any further time.
Thompson participated in Wednesday’s team practice and is good to go for Houston’s next game on Thursday night, per Rockets head coach Ime Udoka. The same also applies to Jabari Smith Jr., who is also coming off a minor injury to his right ankle.
Both are expected to be in Houston’s starting lineup versus the Golden State Warriors.
Smith had sat out the previous two games, and All-Star teammate Kevin Durant referred to him “as an X-factor” for the team’s success. The 22-year-old is enjoying a breakthrough season with career-highs in points (15.5 per game), overall shooting percentage (45.5%), 3-point shooting (36.8%), and true shooting (57.4%).
Meanwhile, Thompson is averaging 17.4 points (51.1% FG), 7.7 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. The 23-year-old remains one of the NBA’s most feared defensive players, as well, coming off All-Defensive First Team honors in 2024-25.
Thursday’s tipoff between the Rockets and Warriors is at 6:30 p.m. Central, and the game will be televised to a national audience on Prime Video. Houston (38-22) enters at No. 3 in the Western Conference standings, while Golden State (31-30) is at No. 8 and tracking for an eventual play-in tournament berth.
Last season, Golden State earned the West’s No. 7 seed through the play-in tournament before going on to defeat the second-seeded Rockets in a first-round series that went the distance. Thursday’s matchup is the first time that the Warriors have played in Houston since their decisive Game 7 victory last May.
From a Houston standpoint, Thompson was easily its most impressive player in that game.
This season, 14 of Houston’s final 22 games will be played inside Toyota Center, where the home team is 20-7. For a full 82-game regular season, that .741 win clip would extrapolate to approximately a 61-21 record.
More: As Rockets’ point guard, Amen Thompson earns praise for his growth
This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Rockets ankle injuries: Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith cleared to return
Continue reading...
Thompson participated in Wednesday’s team practice and is good to go for Houston’s next game on Thursday night, per Rockets head coach Ime Udoka. The same also applies to Jabari Smith Jr., who is also coming off a minor injury to his right ankle.
Both are expected to be in Houston’s starting lineup versus the Golden State Warriors.
Smith had sat out the previous two games, and All-Star teammate Kevin Durant referred to him “as an X-factor” for the team’s success. The 22-year-old is enjoying a breakthrough season with career-highs in points (15.5 per game), overall shooting percentage (45.5%), 3-point shooting (36.8%), and true shooting (57.4%).
Meanwhile, Thompson is averaging 17.4 points (51.1% FG), 7.7 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. The 23-year-old remains one of the NBA’s most feared defensive players, as well, coming off All-Defensive First Team honors in 2024-25.
Thursday’s tipoff between the Rockets and Warriors is at 6:30 p.m. Central, and the game will be televised to a national audience on Prime Video. Houston (38-22) enters at No. 3 in the Western Conference standings, while Golden State (31-30) is at No. 8 and tracking for an eventual play-in tournament berth.
Last season, Golden State earned the West’s No. 7 seed through the play-in tournament before going on to defeat the second-seeded Rockets in a first-round series that went the distance. Thursday’s matchup is the first time that the Warriors have played in Houston since their decisive Game 7 victory last May.
From a Houston standpoint, Thompson was easily its most impressive player in that game.
This season, 14 of Houston’s final 22 games will be played inside Toyota Center, where the home team is 20-7. For a full 82-game regular season, that .741 win clip would extrapolate to approximately a 61-21 record.
More: As Rockets’ point guard, Amen Thompson earns praise for his growth
This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Rockets ankle injuries: Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith cleared to return
Continue reading...
