The Houston Rockets were on the verge of elimination on Wednesday night, and they knew they’d have to play their hearts out if they wanted to keep their season alive.
That is exactly what they did, scoring a 131-116 win over the Warriors and forcing a Game 6, set for Friday night in San Francisco.
Speaking to ESPN and the press, Dillon Brooks praised his teammate, Amen Thompson, who was tasked with one of the toughest defensive jobs in the game: guarding Steph Curry.
“He took it personal, and that’s what we need from him every single night,” Brooks said. “As a defender, you have to take the matchup personal. […] We need that Amen every single game because we’re going to go against guys like Steph again. That same mentality, that tenacity that he was playing with gives us a lot of energy, gives us a lot of extra possessions, and it makes their best player timid and think.”
Thompson remained on top of Curry all night long, holding him to just 13 points and going 4-of-12 from the field and 3-of-9 from the three-point line.
Meanwhile, it was Brooks who guarded Jimmy Butler, who scored just eight points in the game.
Thompson set the tone early in the game, earning five steals in the first half and guiding the rest of his team to play with fierce power and relentlessness.
This was the version of the Rockets that fans wanted to see because the team looked competitive and determined.
They might not have as much postseason experience as the Warriors, but that didn’t seem to be a problem on Wednesday.
Game 6 will be crucial for both teams.
Will the Warriors be able to bounce back and get past Thompson’s defense, or will Ime Udoka and his coaching staff come up with new ways to make life painful for Golden State?
NEXT: Jimmy Butler Makes His Thoughts Clear About Dillon Brooks
