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.

A whole generation of opponents are going to learn the same lessons about the Rockets' stand-out defensive guru that Steph Curry already did.

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.