Amen also becomes the fifth ever Houston Rocket to make the NBA All-Defensive First Team, joining the likes of Hakeem Olajuwon, Rodney McCray, Scottie Pippen and Patrick Beverly. All who played decorated respective NBA careers.

Cleveland’s Evan Mobley, the defensive player of the year this season, was also the top vote-getter for the NBA’s All-Defensive team that was revealed on Thursday.

He's not. Nobody is. Curry gave Thompson, who is already probably the best defender in the league not named Victor Wembanyama, a quick reality check with 31 points on 12-of-19 shooting in Game 1. He had 36 in Game 3 with Houston's entire defense chasing him in the absence of Jimmy Butler .

Amen Thompson notched five steals in the first half to establish a tone of tenacity on defense that galvanized the Rockets in a 131-116 romp that forced Game 6 against the Warriors on Friday in San Francisco.

Amen Thompson took a major step forward in Year 2, and he's just one of the many talented players that make up the youth movement in H-Town.

After the foul by Houston's Amen Thompson, Butler got up gingerly and limped to the free throw line. He converted one of two foul shots, then left the game and headed straight to the locker room.