![\"Dallas](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/dallas-mavericks-v-houston-rockets-houston-texas-october-21-kevin-durant.jpg\")
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HOUSTON, TEXAS – OCTOBER 21: Kevin Durant #7 and Amen Thompson #1 of the Houston Rockets embrace during the second quarter of the game against the Dallas Mavericks at Toyota Center on October 21, 2026 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Kevin Durant needed five words to celebrate Amen Thompson\u2019s answer to Victor Wembanyama.<\/p>\n
\u201cGimme those. Thank ya,\u201d Durant wrote on his Instagram Story, tagging Thompson above a photograph of the Houston Rockets<\/a> guard challenging Wembanyama at the rim.<\/p>\n The post followed Thompson\u2019s rejection of Wembanyama\u2019s potential game-tying shot in Houston\u2019s 114-110 victory over the San Antonio Spurs<\/a> on October 23. Durant reshared an image credited to the NBA<\/a> and Rockets, giving the decisive defensive play another endorsement from the teammate who had watched it unfold.<\/p>\n His postgame explanation offered more than five words. It also captured why the finish was so striking: San Antonio had found its towering star near the basket, only for Thompson to erase the advantage.<\/p>\n Kevin Durant Explains Amen Thompson\u2019s Block on Victor Wembanyama<\/p>\n According to NBA.com\u2019s Brian Martin<\/a>, Durant said he anticipated Wembanyama trying to shoot over Thompson after catching the ball.<\/p>\n Thompson had a different ending in mind.<\/p>\n \u201cTwin is a freak athlete. It\u2019s insane how he got up so quick to block that shot,\u201d Durant said.<\/p>\n The timing made the play more than a spectacular photograph. Houston was protecting a two-point lead, and Wembanyama had an opportunity to tie the game. Thompson\u2019s rejection allowed the Rockets to finish the possession with their lead intact.<\/p>\n Fred VanVleet collected the rebound with 0.6 seconds remaining and made the two free throws that established the final margin. Houston improved to 2-0.<\/p>\n Durant had already contributed to that finish himself, making a critical 3-pointer with 1:34 remaining. His Instagram Story put the spotlight on the teammate who supplied the final defensive stand.<\/p>\n Amen Thompson Delivered More Than One Highlight for Rockets<\/p>\n The block will dominate the replay rotation. Thompson\u2019s work before it deserves space, too.<\/p>\n He finished with 20 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks, according to Varun Shankar of the Houston Chronicle<\/a>. Shankar also reported that Thompson dunked despite a Wembanyama block attempt earlier in the game.<\/p>\n That gave Houston contributions at both ends against San Antonio\u2019s imposing interior presence. Thompson scored, helped finish possessions on the glass and ultimately supplied the stop that kept the Spurs from drawing even.<\/p>\n Durant added 20 points, seven rebounds and six assists in Austin, where he once starred for the University of Texas. Alperen Sengun led Houston with 29 points, including eight consecutive Rockets points during the fourth quarter, the Associated Press reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n That distribution of responsibility gave the Rockets several ways to survive a close finish. Sengun supplied interior scoring. Durant delivered a late perimeter basket. Thompson made the defensive play that neither scoring contribution could replace.<\/p>\n One October win cannot establish Houston\u2019s ceiling. It did provide a useful picture of how its stars can share the closing minutes.<\/p>\n Durant helped create the cushion. Thompson made sure Wembanyama could not wipe it away.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tErik C. Anderson<\/a> is an award-winning sports journalist covering the NBA, NFL, MLB and trading card market for Heavy.com. His coverage focuses on breaking news, trade rumors, roster moves, player contracts and the stories driving national fan conversation. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Associated Press, USA Today and ESPN. More about Erik C. Anderson<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Getty HOUSTON, TEXAS – OCTOBER 21: Kevin Durant #7 and Amen Thompson #1 of the Houston Rockets embrace…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":866758,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3794],"tags":[7,292,194,4066,6,211],"class_list":["post-866757","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-houston-rockets","tag-basketball","tag-houston","tag-houston-rockets","tag-houstonrockets","tag-nba","tag-rockets"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nba\/117497160332747862","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/866757","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=866757"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/866757\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/866758"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=866757"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=866757"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=866757"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Kevin](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Screenshot-2026-10-24-095352.png\")
HeavyKevin Durant shared this Instagram Story after Amen Thompson\u2019s late block helped the Houston Rockets beat the San Antonio Spurs 114-110.<\/p>\n![\"Houston](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/houston-rockets-v-phoenix-suns-phoenix-arizona-april-07-kevin-durant.jpg\")
GettyPHOENIX, ARIZONA \u2013 APRIL 07: Kevin Durant #7 and Amen Thompson #1of the Houston Rockets during the second half of the NBA game at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 07, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n