Jalen Green backs Amen Thompson’s DPOY campaign with 1-word

Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green stood up for teammate Amen Thompson on Monday. Thompson pulled off a defensive masterclass in the Rockets' 106-96 road win against the Golden State Warriors on Sunday night.

His performance prompted praise from Rockets center Alperen Sengun. Green reposted a clip of Sengun praising Thompson on Instagram, accompanied by a one-word endorsement backing him for this year's Defensive Player of the Year award.

"Dpoy [shoulder shrug emoji]," Green captioned his story on Instagram.

Jalen Green’s comment/Instagram

In his last two games, Thompson has been crucial in the Rockets' efforts to lock in the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference. He helped the Houston side mitigate the danger posed by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Steph Curry in their last two games.

In Friday's win over the Thunder, the MVP front-runner was held to just 12 points in the game's final three quarters. Curry also struggled against Thompson as he was held to three points, his lowest points total while playing 30+ minutes in his career.

While Thompson's chances of winning the award remain slim, his stats speak volumes. He is holding All-Star guards this season to 40.7% FG and 25% 3-pointers made. Thompson is averaging 14.0 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.3 blocks per game for the Rockets.

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Jalen Green shines as Rockets secure home-court advantage for playoffs

Jalen Green ensured that the Rockets maintained their sizeable lead over the LA Lakers with the win on Sunday against the Warriors. He recorded 21 points, three rebounds and five assists in the win, their eighth win in 10 consecutive games.

Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green (4) dribbles the ball next to Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) - Source: Imagn

The win ensured that the Rockets secured homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

Green this season is averaging 21.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. Additionally, he is shooting at 42.6% from the field and 35.4% from beyond the arc.

With one week left before the end of the regular season, the Rockets are making their return to the playoffs. However, tough games await them against the LA Clippers (away) on Apr. 9, the Lakers (away) on Apr. 11, and the Denver Nuggets on Apr. 13.