It is rare when a team can feature two defensive-minded wings capable of dismantling an opponent’s game plan. That the Houston Rockets have two such players coming off their bench makes for an even more unique set of circumstances.
Tari Eason and Amen Thompson provided strong two-way play in the Rockets’ 111-103 victory over the visiting Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday. The duo will aim to continue their strong play on Friday when the teams reconvene in Houston to open their respective NBA Cup slates.
Eason and Thompson scored 18 points apiece on combined 14-for-23 shooting and teamed up for 21 rebounds, with Thompson grabbing six offensive boards while logging a season-high 34 minutes.
Eason posted his first double-double this season and his fifth consecutive double-digit scoring game — he’s averaging 14 points and seven boards during that span. Eason and Thompson also totaled three blocks and three steals on Wednesday.
While the duo continues to develop as scorers and rebounders, their effectiveness as isolation and help defenders resonates. Both relish the opportunity to defend one-on-one and both excel off the ball, helping fuel the Rockets’ urge to score more often in transition.
Eason and Thompson’s defensive versatility has allowed the Rockets to utilize unconventional lineups with the knowledge that the two can handle assignments from point guards to power forwards.
“They’re very disruptive,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka said. “They just impact a game. It’s a tandem that makes it stick out even more because they’re so disruptive all over the court.
“It’s obviously more magnified when two guys are … flying all over the place and making that impact.”
The Clippers’ inability to maintain their hot shooting from behind the arc played a role in their defeat on Wednesday.
After converting their first five 3-point attempts en route to an 11-point, first-quarter lead, the Clippers shot just 5-of-19 from deep in the second half. There was bound to be some regression following that scorching start, but the Clippers rank third in the NBA in 3-point shooting (39.1 percent), so the Rockets are due some credit.
The Rockets recorded 11 blocked shots, with more than half of that total coming from their center rotation of Alperen Sengun (four) and Jock Landale (two). Repeatedly challenged at the rim, the Clippers’ shot selection suffered, and, playing at a size deficit whenever 7-footer Ivica Zubac rested, the Clippers were dominated on the glass to the tune of a minus-17 rebounding margin.
The Rockets parlayed 18 offensive rebounds into 19 second-chance points and totaled 24 fastbreak points. That combination of factors stood out in the first of the back-to-back matchups.
“I think some of our shot selection when we got into the paint, they were big at the rim,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “We kind of threw some shots up, missing layups and when we missed they were out in transition and we couldn’t get back to get matched up. We did a good job with our turnovers (the Clippers had 12), but then they ended up having 18 offensive rebounds.
“Like I said, they had a good game plan, they played well. We’ll be better come (Friday). Our guys just got to see the blueprint, how they try to play us, and what they were trying to do and just go from there.”
