HOUSTON — In Friday’s finale of a three-game homestand at Toyota Center, rookies Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore each set career highs in scoring as Houston routed Toronto, 135-106 (box score).
The Rockets (23-25) finished the homestand at 2-1, while the Raptors (17-31) lost for the 10th time in 12 games.
In a dominant win by the Rockets with a season-high 84 points in the paint, double-figure scorers for the home team included:
- Cam Whitmore: 25 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals in 21 minutes; 10-of-17 shooting (58.8%), 3-of-7 on 3-pointers (42.9%)
- Amen Thompson: 19 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals in 24 minutes; 9-of-11 shooting (81.8%)
- Alperen Sengun: 24 points, 13 rebounds, 8 assists in 29 minutes; 10-of-14 shooting (71.4%), 1-of-2 on 3-pointers (50.0%)
- Jalen Green: 14 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists in 27 minutes; 7-of-14 shooting (50.0%)
- Jabari Smith Jr.: 11 points, 3 rebounds in 24 minutes; 4-of-9 shooting (44.4%), 2-of-5 on 3-pointers (40.0%)
- Fred VanVleet: 10 points, 6 assists in 25 minutes; 4-of-7 shooting (57.1%), 2-of-4 on 3-pointers (50.0%)
Whitmore has now scored 17 or more points in five straight games despite averaging under 25 minutes per game over that stretch.
Scottie Barnes led Toronto with 28 points and 7 rebounds while shooting 10-of-17 overall (58.8%) and 7-of-8 on free throws (87.5%).
Here’s our look at Friday’s highlights and postgame interviews, along with reaction by media members and fans. With the homestand in the books, next up for Houston is a tough game Sunday at Minnesota (34-14) to open up a four-game road trip. Tipoff is at 6 p.m. Central.
Feb. 2 Rockets-Raptors reaction
The Rockets scored 135 points on Monday against the Lakers while only made 12 three-pointers.
The Rockets scored 135 points tonight against the Raptors tonight while only making 11 three-pointers.
They scored 68 paint points Monday and a season-high 84 tonight
— Adam Spolane (@AdamSpolane) February 3, 2024
It's going to take some time, but Amen Thompson is going to be a real problem. There's so much here to work with and he has some potentially elite qualities on both ends of the floor.
— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) February 3, 2024
Rockets beat the Raptors 135-106 to improve to 23-25 on the season and pull into a tie with Utah for 10th place in the West. A four-game Eastern Conference road trip awaits
— Adam Spolane (@AdamSpolane) February 3, 2024
Cam Whitmore has the fewest minutes played in a 25+ PT game by a teenager in NBA history. pic.twitter.com/6YUhtmByrq
— StatMamba (@StatMamba) February 3, 2024
Drafting Gradey Dick over Cam Whitmore doesn't look like the best decision right now
— Adam Spolane (@AdamSpolane) February 3, 2024
Raptors lose by 29 points, their largest loss to the Rockets since November 1997.
— Keerthika Uthayakumar (@keerthikau) February 3, 2024
Rockets win 135-106. Perfect game.
Amen, Cam and Sengun were magnificent, Jalen shot well inside the arc again.
2nd fewest minutes in a game for Fred VanVleet this season with 24.
— Itamar (@Itamar_17_10) February 3, 2024
BOBAN SIGHTING 🤩 pic.twitter.com/MOMR7UNOsK
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) February 3, 2024
Cam Whitmore and Amen Thompson: good at basketball.
— Sam Vecenie (@Sam_Vecenie) February 3, 2024
Rockets' rookies Cam Whitmore (25 PTS) and Amen Thompson (19 PTS) both dropped career highs to lead Houston to the home W over Toronto! pic.twitter.com/FlXe67O4qG
— NBA (@NBA) February 3, 2024
#Rockets only have 3 more home games the rest of the month of February. They are gonna have to learn to win the road.
— Chris A. White 🐻 (@fyrebear) February 3, 2024
Sengun tonight:
24 PTS
13 REB
8 AST
10-14 FGin just 3 quarters. https://t.co/TFCEe6nmlN
— StatMuse (@statmuse) February 3, 2024
Cam Whitmore tonight:
25 PTS
6 REB
3 STL
+22Five consecutive 15-point games. https://t.co/QDQBMYiLQH
— StatMuse (@statmuse) February 3, 2024
Cam Whitmore can pass too?! pic.twitter.com/wca0mua8bw
— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) February 3, 2024
Cam Whitmore, asked about the #Rockets run in the second half:
"I think we had a big run the whole game."
💀💀💀
— Ben DuBose (@BenDuBose) February 3, 2024
Cam Whitmore’s last 5 games:
25 PTS – 21 MIN
17 PTS – 20 MIN
20 PTS – 18 MIN
19 PTS – 29 MIN
24 PTS – 20 MINKobe Bryant is the only other teenager to put up 17 or more in 5 straight game off the bench in NBA History. 🔥🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/d3oFEdMYoY
— Bradeaux (@BradeauxNBA) February 3, 2024
I think this is Ime’s way of surrounding Alperen Sengun with weapons. Instead of shooters, it’s POA defenders and fast cutters in Amen, Jalen, Cam, Dillon.
He doesn’t have the shooting personnel but what they’re doing also works.
— Mitty (@MittyRockets) February 3, 2024
Jalen Green's basket attack finishing has gotten so much better! #Rockets
— Chris A. White 🐻 (@fyrebear) February 3, 2024
Cam power reminds me a bit of bron
— Madison Moore (@MadManLeaks) February 3, 2024
Another strong, aggressive move by Amen Thompson to provide rim pressure. Very positive sign. pic.twitter.com/0tSJL0mN31
— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) February 3, 2024
#Rockets only have 3 more home games the rest of the month of February. They are gonna have to learn to win the road.
— Chris A. White 🐻 (@fyrebear) February 3, 2024
In games where Cam Whitmore has played 10+ minutes this season, he’s averaging 14 PPG on 10.7 shots per game. He’s been extremely efficient, especially for a wing player.
This amounts to 19 of his 25 career NBA games so far. All of them occurring in 2024.
— Roosh (@RooshWilliams) February 3, 2024
The “Trade Jalen Green” narrative is getting old and it’s becoming a lazy take…#Sarge
— #SARGE (@BigSargeSportz) February 3, 2024
Ime Udoka needs to show the team the tape of Amen Thompson cutting for Sengun because THAT is how you take advantage of his passing ability and put a ton of pressure on defenses. The #Rockets have spent too much time this season standing around when Sengun posts up.
— Roosh (@RooshWilliams) February 3, 2024
Amen Thompson career-high 19 points
Cam Whitmore career-high 25 points#Rockets blowout win vs Raptors pic.twitter.com/yOU60zhYEc
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) February 3, 2024
If you're not excited about the Rockets young core, check your pulse. Wow
— Vanessa Richardson (@SportsVanessa) February 3, 2024
your boys were BALLIN' tonight ‼️ pic.twitter.com/EacmZKH1Lf
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) February 3, 2024
Rockets assistant coach Will Dunn: "I thought Amen in particular was great. Super aggressive getting to the basket. We see that with him every day in practice. It's great everybody else gets to see that tonight because he's going to be a special one. The way he attacks the rim… pic.twitter.com/2GwVCYJ9H3
— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) February 3, 2024
#Rockets win 135-106
Cam Whitmore 21 MIN / 25 PTS / 6 REB
He talked with our @SportsVanessa after the @HoustonRockets win over the Raptors pic.twitter.com/RBY0fOVhIB
— Space City Home Network (@SpaceCityHN) February 3, 2024
Rockets have cutters and all of a sudden Sengun looks a great and quick passer again
— Nathan Fogg (@NathanFogg1) February 3, 2024
Jalen Green is just playing way more aggressively these days. Things have flipped for him. Feels like it started in that POR game and moving forward. #Rockets
— Chris A. White 🐻 (@fyrebear) February 3, 2024
The #Rockets young core today:
Amen: 19 PTS | 7 REB | 4 AST | 9/11 FG
Jalen: 14 PTS | 4 REB | 3 AST | 7/14 FG
Cam: 25 PTS | 6 REB | 1 AST | 10/17 FG
Jabari: 11 PTS | 3 REB | 1 AST | 2/5 3PT
Şengün: 24 PTS | 13 REB | 8 AST | 10/14 FG https://t.co/uOU9gsSObM pic.twitter.com/gy4NEGs1Ba— Bradeaux (@BradeauxNBA) February 3, 2024
Saw glimpses of an offensive powerhouse tonight centered around Alperen Sengun and the core 6. Against the raptors but I’ll take it.#Rockets
— Mitty (@MittyRockets) February 3, 2024
Cam Whitmore in his last 5 games for the #Rockets
21 PPG
6.4 RPG63.7% TS 🔥 pic.twitter.com/HKtjODaI0d
— RocketsMuse (@RocketsMuse) February 3, 2024
When it comes to cutting when Sengun has the ball in the post Amen reminds me a lot of KJ Martin who was the Rockets best cutters for years. Definitely building chemistry with Sengun pic.twitter.com/4ujixVilwn
— Lachard Binkley (@BinkleyHoops) February 3, 2024
Amen Thompson's handles already look way better than they did a month or so ago. #Rockets
— Chris A. White 🐻 (@fyrebear) February 3, 2024
If the Rockets keep giving Amen the ball, they're going to watch the Raptors start loading up on his drives, and Amen start tearing the defense apart with his passing.
This is how it's gonna look in the future when Amen is guarded by guards.
— Itamar (@Itamar_17_10) February 3, 2024
What did Toronto Raptors fans think of Houston #Rockets Center Alperen Şengün tonight? 2/2/2024
24 PTS – 13 REB – 8 AST 🔥
Future #NBA All-Star ❗️ pic.twitter.com/8p3IeVcDUX
— 28🐐 (@iamsohappy28) February 3, 2024
“I have seen him averaging 30 points a night,” said Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajaković when I asked him about the offensive output of Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green the last four games. #Rockets #Sarge #RocketsWire pic.twitter.com/aZo0okWKcH
— #SARGE (@BigSargeSportz) February 2, 2024
Amen Thompson says Şengün is his twin. Renamed him Alperen Thompson.
— Kelly Iko (@KellyIko) February 3, 2024
Question: Did you feel snubbed from the Rising Stars Game?
Cam Whitmore: "Yeah, yeah. Rising Stars, draft, I mean, everything, goes on. I feel like I'm underrated, to be honest."
— Adam Spolane (@AdamSpolane) February 3, 2024
Alperen Şengün said he was never concerned about making the All-Star game, adding that he’s young and still has a lot to do. Says he’s more focused on winning.
— Kelly Iko (@KellyIko) February 3, 2024
Hope some teams feel pretty stupid for passing on Cam Whitmore over an old injury and shyness or whatever. He's a real player.
— Ari Alexander (@AriA1exander) February 3, 2024
“He is my twin,” said rookie Amen Thompson when asked about the on court connection him and center Alperen Sengun has. “He is Alperen Thompson.” #Rockets #Sarge @TheRocketsWire pic.twitter.com/9EJK8Jh5IM
— #SARGE (@BigSargeSportz) February 3, 2024
I’ve generally held the opinion that you can’t just replace shooting with cutting but Amen is such an exceptional cutter that it could be sufficient off-ball gravity alongside Sengun
— James Piercey (@JamesPiercey11) February 3, 2024
Alperen Sengun tonight vs TOR
🏀24 PTS🏀13 REB🏀8 AST🏀#Rockets WIN 135-106@HoustonRockets on SCHN pic.twitter.com/joDgVWxm1v— Space City Home Network (@SpaceCityHN) February 3, 2024
The Rockets are undefeated since trading for Steven Adams. pic.twitter.com/kquATkFXV0
— Clutch City Entertainment (@ClutchCityENTX) February 3, 2024
#Rockets beat the Raptors 135-106
Amen Thompson
🚀19 PTS
🚀9-11 FG
🚀7 REB
🚀4 AST
🚀2 STLHe spoke with the media after the @HoustonRockets WIN pic.twitter.com/pidDonk4ex
— Space City Home Network (@SpaceCityHN) February 3, 2024
Fred VanVleet 10 PTS & 6 AST in his first game against his former team#Rockets beat the Raptors 135-106
He spoke with the media after @HoustonRockets W pic.twitter.com/fVnMDqnDIB
— Space City Home Network (@SpaceCityHN) February 3, 2024
Big 135-106 win for the @HoustonRockets over the Raptors#Rockets rookie Cam Whitmore 25 points in 21 minutes pic.twitter.com/zNrUt41eW4
— Space City Home Network (@SpaceCityHN) February 3, 2024
#Rockets beat Toronto 135-106
Alperen Sengun 24 PTS / 13 REB / 8 AST
Alpi with the media after the @HoustonRockets win pic.twitter.com/JLuKOpIuo5
— Space City Home Network (@SpaceCityHN) February 3, 2024
