Conventional wisdom shows that teams have to place a premium on 3-and-D wings. Evidently, the Charlotte Hornets have abided by this principle, even naming 2024 offseason acquisition Josh Green as a full-time starter despite the red flags surrounding the Australian swingman. Houston Rockets youngster Amen Thompson has shown, though, why the Hornets have to rethink their philosophy.
The matchup between the Golden State Warriors and Houston should have caught the attention of the Hornets. The Rockets have been able to stave off elimination twice, routing the Warriors at home to cut the series deficit to 3-2 before stealing Game 6 on the road with a gritty 115-107 win.
Golden State is probably reliving a nightmare right now after being on the losing end of one of the most well-known 3-1 comebacks of all time. On the other hand, its top dogs, including Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler, are enough reasons for the Warriors faithful to believe that they can triumph in Game 7 in Houston.
Hornets should be watching Amen Thompson bust stereotypes
Rising star Alperen Sengun deserves credit for carrying his squad in the playoffs' opening round, leading all Rockets players in average points, rebounds, and assists in the series' first six meetings. The fact that he has been able to perform well against a Defensive Player of the Year candidate.
The supporting cast has also been commendable, with Thompson among those who have stood out. Interestingly, the second-year pro has shone differently than most wings are expected to in the postseason.
Non-shooting swingmen who aren't stars typically see their roles and minutes reduced come playoff time, as many squads have put a lot of premium on their players' ability to knock down shots from long range and space the floor. However, Thompson has proven that similarly built hoopsters don't need the 3-point shot to make a huge impact for his team.
Defensively, the former doesn't look like 22 years old, having shown the ability to hold his own against Curry, Butler, or whoever he has been tasked to guard. His pièce de résistance in the series was his defensive performance in Game 5, when he notched five steals and three blocks and finished with a plus/minus of +32.
On the other end of the floor is where Thompson has defied expectations. Even without a reliable outside shot, he has been the Rockets' third-leading scorer behind Sengun and Fred VanVleet, putting up 14.3 points per game. Impressively, he has logged the highest field-goal percentage among starters, hitting 47.8 percent of his shots. For those wondering, Amen has attempted just three 3-pointers so far in the series, sinking one.
In an era where teams fielding 3-and-D wings have become the norm, Houston has found a way to put a swingman with limited perimeter shooting who can defend four positions on the floor for over 30 minutes per contest in the postseason.
Hopefully, Charlotte can learn a thing or two from the Rockets, even if they fail to advance to the Western Conference semifinals. Rather than force itself to give Green, whom the organization should look to trade, or other underachieving wings plenty of minutes because of their 3-and-D potential, Buzz City shouldn't be afraid to look for guys like Thompson, a high-character player who is a beast on defense and can deliver offensive production inside the 3-point arc.