A total of 29 points, 11 assists and 5 three-pointers! The Rockets’ dual point guards are on the rise! After Van Jordan returns to the team, will he also play as a substitute?

On November 2, the current Houston Rockets finally found their own way of winning. On the defensive end, the Rockets may be slightly deficient compared to last season; however, on the offensive end, the Rockets have found the best way to attack. The Big Three, Amen Thompson, Durant and Shen Jing, attract double-teams from the opponent inside and outside. After that, the Rockets' shooters can easily shoot three-pointers.

Now the Rockets' Smith Jr., Ethan, Shepard, and Okogie all have good three-point abilities. In addition to them, Shen Jing, Durant, and Amen Thompson can not only attract defense with the ball, but also attack on their own. This is why the Rockets currently rank first in the league in points per game.

In addition, the Rockets did not, as everyone predicted, be unable to play without Van Jordan. Without VanVleet, the Rockets still have Shen Jing who can contribute assists. Shen Jing now averages nearly 8 assists per game. In this game against the Celtics, Shen Jing sent out 9 assists in the whole game, only one assist away from a triple-double.

The Rockets now have two point guards - main point guard Amen Thompson and backup point guard Sheppard have both emerged. In the first two games, when the Rockets played against the Thunder and Pistons, the two backcourt cores were not ready; but in the last three games, Shepard and Amen Thompson were able to handle both offense and defense with ease, and they became more and more accustomed to the new role of point guard.

In the Rockets' victory over the Celtics, main point guard Amen Thompson made 6 of 12 shots, 1 of 1 three-pointers, and 4 of 6 free throws in 32 minutes. He scored 17 points, 8 assists, and 9 rebounds, with a game-high plus-minus of +27.

Substitute point guard Sheppard made 4 of 6 shots and 4 of 5 three-pointers in 17 minutes. He contributed 12 points and 3 assists without making a single mistake. His plus-minus value also reached +19. In other words, in this game, the Rockets' Shepard and Amen Thompson scored 29 points together, plus 11 assists, and 9 rebounds, and the two made a total of 5 three-pointers.

Amen Thompson made a three-pointer, but this three-pointer is as precious as gold, because in the previous game, Amen Thompson failed to hit a single three-pointer in 10 three-pointers. This three-pointer is also the first three-pointer that Amen Thompson has made this season, so it is of great significance.

The advantages of Van Fleet are most vividly reflected in Amen Thompson and Shepard. Sheppard is full of energy and has a very strong shooting ability. Now he has become the Rockets' top shooter in the backcourt; Amen Thompson is tall, can defend and attack, and is not afraid of confrontation. His passing ability is getting better and better now.

Therefore, it is no exaggeration to say that even after Van Jordan returns from injury, the Rockets may have to let him start from the bench, because in recent games, Amen Thompson, the starting point guard, has performed so well. Even if VanVleet returns next season, he will probably become Amen Thompson's substitute. After all, after Amen Thompson has settled into the starting position at the No. 1 position this season, VanVleet, who returns from injury next season, will probably start from the bench.