Thompson blocks Wembanyama, Durant: “That was insane!”
Amen Thompson blocks Wembanyama with five seconds left to seal the win for the Rockets. Kevin Durant can hardly believe it
With five seconds remaining and the Houston Rockets leading by just two, Victor Wembanyama appeared to have the game-tying basket in his hands. A catch near the rim, room to rise and all the height he needed to finish the play.
But he hadn’t accounted for Amen Thompson.
The Rockets guard blocked the Frenchman’s attempt, effectively sealing Houston’s 114-110 win over the San Antonio Spurs. A spectacular play that left even Kevin Durant in disbelief as he rushed over to celebrate with his teammate.
Kevin Durant’s reaction
The play starts with the Spurs inbounding, trailing 112-110 with just seconds to work with. De’Aaron Fox gets the pass past Jabari Smith Jr. and finds Wembanyama near the basket.
The Frenchman turns toward the rim, ready to dunk, but Thompson recovers and rejects the attempt. The ball ends up in Fred VanVleet’s hands, and he puts the game away at the free throw line.
After the game, Durant recounted his first exchange with Thompson following the block.
I told him, “What the f*** was he thinking, that he could just go score that easily?”
Kevin Durant
Thompson’s response? A simple “I don’t know.”
KD then explained what impressed him most about the play.
What an incredible block. That was insane. Being able to jump again that quickly as soon as you hit the ground is a really rare ability. To be around 6-foot-7 and dunk and block shots like a center is crazy
Kevin Durant
Thompson: “I knew they’d try to go at me”
For Thompson, it wasn’t just an instinctive play. The Rockets guard had anticipated that San Antonio would try to exploit Wembanyama’s size advantage against a smaller defender.
I knew they’d probably try to get him matched up against me or one of the other smaller guys. I jump pretty high, so trying to go at me that close to the rim isn’t really a good idea
Amen Thompson
Thompson, born in 2003, finished with 20 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks and 2 steals, reaffirming his status as one of the NBA’s most intriguing players for his athleticism and defensive ability.
And he had already enjoyed a moment against Wembanyama at the other end of the floor.
In the third quarter, Thompson took a pass from Durant and threw down a two-handed dunk right over the Frenchman, drawing a foul and completing the three-point play.
Technically, I dunked on him, right?
Amen Thompson
A block on Wembanyama, a dunk over him and a win against the Spurs. For Amen Thompson, definitely a night to remember.