Ime Udoka playfully claims Amen Thompson is ‘much better than Draymond’ amidst DPOY race

Rockets HC, Ime Udoka, aims sly dig at Warriors star Draymond Green in recent praise for his player, Amen Thompson.

Ime Udoka playfully claims Amen Thompson is ‘much better than Draymond’ amidst DPOY race

Amen Thompson, Draymond Green and Ime Udoka

The Houston Rockets defeated the Golden State Warriors 106-96 on Sunday to start a three-game road trip to California, displaying their superior defense led by Amen Thompson. The young Thompson’s defense of future Hall of Famer Stephen Curry was the story of the game. The Rockets held Curry to only 3 points in 33 minutes on 1-of-10 shooting (10.0%), with Thompson leading the charge.

A performance like this left Thompson’s HC Ime Udoka in awe of his star. After the game, Udoka playfully made a bold claim regarding Warriors star Draymond Green and Thompson’s chances regarding the 2025 NBA DPOY Award. The Rockets HC claimed that Thompson was ‘better’ than Green after witnessing Sunday’s performance.

Much better than Draymond (in defense).

Ime Udoka jokingly said regarding Amen Thompson

The way that Thompson defended Curry was amazing. In games where he played at least 30 minutes, it was the fewest points Curry had ever scored. With the DPOY award still up in the air, stars like Thompson, the Atlanta Hawks’ Dyson Daniels, and Green are making a strong case for it.

With 21 points and 5 assists on 9 of 19 shooting (47.4%), including 3-of-7 from 3-point range (42.9%), Jalen Green led the Rockets offensively. Houston pulled away in the fourth quarter, accounting for ten of that total.

With the recent loss, Golden State (46-32) ranks No. 5 in the Western Conference. On the other hand, Houston (52-27) is still at No. 2. The Rockets have already guaranteed at least a top-three seed in the 2025 West playoffs after winning 15 of their last 17 games. One more Houston victory would guarantee them the No. 2 place, which is now their magic number.

Rockets star Alperen Sengun has high praise for teammate Amen Thompson

Amen Thompson was amazing against the Warriors on Sunday, particularly against Stephen Curry. Alperen Sengun lauded Thompson for his efforts, saying he has been ‘locked in’ for weeks, trying to improve his defense against big players. It’s safe to say that Thompson has been a stellar performer for the Rockets, with Sengun stating Thompson is making a clear case for the 2025 DPOY award.

“Amen wasn’t smiling all day. He was locked in. Last two games he’s locking the best players in the world… best players in the league. That’s impressive in just his second year. He’s putting names over there in the Defensive Player of the Year.”

Alperen Sengun said

For the Rockets, Dillon Brooks scored 24 points, a game-high. Alperen Sengun recorded a 19-point, 14-rebound double-double. Also, Thompson contributed offensively, scoring 14 points, grabbing six rebounds, dishing out a team-high six assists, stealing three, and blocking two.

It’s important to note that, Thompson just in his second season has a defensive rating of 107.8, per StatMuse. Last season, his rookie season, he averaged 109.1 in defense, showcasing his consistency this season as well. Interestingly, Thompson does not look to settle soon. With time he will continue to develop his game, making him a clear threat to face off against in the future.

Stephen Curry opened up on half-time altercation with Ime Udoka

As the Houston Rockets defeated the Golden State Warriors 106-96 at Chase Center in a hard-fought game, Warriors star Stephen Curry and Rockets head coach Ime Udoka got into a heated argument during halftime, which momentarily escalated tensions. But Curry’s funny postgame account of the incident helped to lighten the atmosphere.

He made a reservation to International Smoke and canceled it. I was upset with him.

Stephen Curry said

Curry struggled all night long and finished with just three points, making it one of his worst games ever. He was visibly unhappy with his performance and only made one of eight efforts from beyond the arc. The Warriors, meanwhile, are now in a close race for postseason spots. With a 46-32 record, they are all in a four-way tie for the number five seed and are now alarmingly close to dropping to the play-in zone.

On the other hand, with a 52-27 record, the Rockets were guaranteed the second seed in the Western Conference, thus this victory was a statement for them.