Houston Rockets: Amen Thompson Goes for Career-High 22 Points in Loss to New Orleans

As the league returned from All-Star break on Thursday evening, a number of times got back in action to set the tone for the final stretch of the season. 

For Amen Thompson and the Houston Rockets, it wasn't the outcome they'd wanted versus the New Orleans Pelicans, losing 127-105 by a concerted charge from C.J. McCollum and Zion Williamson. 

But a bright spot was found again its rookie who's begun to truly unfurl since the turn of the New Year – as Thompson punched in a team-high and career-high 22 points in the loss on an efficient 9-of-13 shooting while adding five boards, four assists and three blocks in 28 minutes.

This is an extension of what he's found in the past month and a half, with his minutes increasing since December and drastically rising since the start of February.

He's seen 30.3 minutes a night while clearing his previous averages with 13.6 points on 61.3% from the field, 9.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.5 stocks in this month, nearly doubling his production in an increase of about 13 minutes per game since January. His heightened role can be attributed to Tari Eason's left lower leg injury that's been an issue stemming from the preseason, but now Eason hasn't competed since Jan. 1, and Thompson has absorbed his minutes and role as a rebounding guard with instinctual defense and a slashing mindset.

And as Thompson has seen more minutes, the better he has played. In December on 12.7 minutes per game throughout the month, he had formally returned from a Grade 2 ankle sprain in the back half of the month and struggled, producing just 3.6 points on 38.5% shooting in seven games. Of course, he can't be faulted for shaking the rust off in return from injury, but the sheer 180 in production from December to February has been interesting to watch unfold.

And as the Rockets sit 4.5 games back from a play-in seed, sitting in 12th currently, they'll continue to need the rookie's production night in and night out if they want to have a solid shot at postseason play.