HOUSTON (SportsRadio 610)- After missing 15 games with a sprained right ankle, Rockets rookie guard Amen Thompson returned to action for Monday's 93-82 win over the San Antonio Spurs.
"He was getting his feet wet again," Rockets coach Ime Udoka said. "Obviously, getting back at the NBA game after missing all that time, it's gonna take a little time there."
Thompson played 10 minutes, five minutes in the second quarter and five minutes in the fourth quarter, and finished with 2 points, 5 rebounds and 1 assist.
"I felt really good in the minutes I got," Thompson said.
The fourth pick of last June's draft suffered a grade-2 sprained ankle against the Charlotte Hornets on November 1. He played in two games for the Rockets G League affiliate last week, and he thought that helped knock some of the rust off.
"I was playing like 40 minutes down there, so I got my conditioning up and back, so I'm happy."
Thompson only attempted two shots on Monday: He finished a fast break with a layup off a feed from Tari Eason and then missed a three-pointer, but right now scoring isn't where he can impact the game the most.
Udoka says he hopes Thompson's rebounding will help juice the Rockets pace, which after Monday is third slowest in the NBA, by pushing the ball up the floor off of rebounds.
"We encourage all the guys do that, let alone him. Being one of the biggest guards and most athletic guards and the pace that he plays with, so we want, whether it's (Alperen Sengun) and our bigs that rebound to push, but obviously, he is at another level as far as speed and getting up the court and trying to find guys."
The Rockets are averaging 97.27 possessions per 48 minutes, but that number jumps to 99.75 with Thompson on the floor.
