The Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets faced in the first round of the 2025 playoffs, and it was a series of qualifiers as high as anyone would have imagined. Of course, whenever guys like Draymond Green and Dillon Brooks go there, it will become physical, but the two teams have really gone back and forth.
The Warriors finally beat the Rockets in seven games to go to the second round, but their match undoubtedly had a feeling of rivalry. Of course, warriors and rockets have been on the playoff series for years, but it was a Houston team completely different from that of us.
However, there seem to be hard feelings between the two teams, in particular with the recent comments of the Star of the Rockets Alperen Sangun.
While Sengun always seemed to be bitter of their loss against the Warriors, his co-star, Amen Thompson, had better things to say about the team that killed them.
In a recent appearance on the podcast “The Young Man and the Three”, Thompson congratulated the star of the Warriors Draymond Green and his defense.
“I have the impression that what makes the best defenders good is their IQ. I will give credit to Draymond. We played Draymond, and it is not super athletic. Obviously, it has long arms, but it will not amaze you athletically. But it speaks all the time. And it will put itself in a position, knowing that they will do something.”
Of course, Green is undoubtedly one of the best defenders of the common era as a defensive player of the year and member of the team of nine times. Although his offensive game is incoherent, he always compensates with a high IQ and a defensive engine.
“I have the impression that many of the best defenders can play the offense on the defense, do you know what I mean?” Said Thompson.
Green is an incredible defender, but Amen Thompson, 22, is on a similar trajectory. Thompson made the first fully defensive team of his second season, and of course, during his first series of career playoffs, he had to defend no other than the legendary Steph Curry.
Thompson was asked if he had taken his confrontation against Curry personally, as he did because he defends the other stars.
“Yeah. Everyone. For me, I am supposed to be able to follow [Curry]I am supposed to be able to make his life horrible, “said Thompson.” I mean, it’s Steph. They are the hardest. When you play great players, Steph, he’s going to make shots. [Kevin Durant]Go make shots. You try to make their lives as difficult as possible … but you have to accept that it will hit long blows. “”
Thompson will certainly have a long and successful career of the NBA as an elite defender, and having to keep a superstar like Curry in your first eliminatory series is not an easy task. However, he has the right state of mind and recognized the things Green does, which will undoubtedly help him in the long term.
