Tag: Ime Udoka

Utah’s Will Hardy sees incredible coaching by Ime Udoka in Houston

Utah’s Will Hardy on the coaching of Ime Udoka in Houston: “I think what he’s been able to do with this group, this season, is pretty remarkable.”

Will Hardy, head coach of the Utah Jazz, has inside knowledge of his Houston counterpart, Ime Udoka. Hardy was a prominent assistant to Udoka when the latter was head coach in Boston, and both were assistants to Gregg Popovich for years in San Antonio.

Under Udoka’s leadership, Houston exited Saturday (after a win over the visiting Jazz) as arguably the NBA’s hottest team. The Rockets (35-35) have won eight straight games and have a 10-1 record in March, best of any team in the league. That’s put them back in the postseason race in the Western Conference.

Prior to that game at Toyota Center, Hardy spoke to Rockets Wire regarding Udoka’s performance during his first season in Houston.

Hardy’s comments:

I think Ime has done an incredible job. You can see, by the way that their team plays, that they are mirroring his personality. They’re a tough-minded, defensive team. I think what he’s been able to do with this group, this season, is pretty remarkable.

It’s been fun to watch from afar, because I love Ime. But they’re no fun to play against, because they’re very physical, and the switching is tough to score against. And they have some talented offensive players.

I think what Ime has done in Year 1 here is pretty special.

The complete video can be viewed below.

The Rockets entered this season coming off three consecutive years at the basement of the West standings, though all three of those teams were coached by Udoka’s predecessor, Stephen Silas.

Now, under Udoka, the Rockets rank in the NBA’s 10 best defenses of the 2023-24 season after being near the bottom in recent years.

The offseason additions of key veterans Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks certainly helped, but so, too, has Udoka’s guidance.

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‘Not backing down’: Ime Udoka proud of Rockets’ physical play, support of teammates

Ime Udoka on Thursday’s Rockets-Bulls scuffle: “They are not backing down. A guy takes a hit, and teammates are going to stand up for each other.”

HOUSTON — Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks sent a message to the rest of the NBA before stepping on the Toyota Center court.

“When you come to play Houston, you know it’s going to be a physical battle,” Brooks said in October 2023 as part of his first press conference after signing with the Rockets. “It’s going to be a challenge. When you come play Houston, you know it’s going to be a physical battle. It’s going to be a challenge. It’s not just a walk in the park no more, when you come to Houston.”

With the 2023-24 season in its final month, those words ring as strongly as the day he spoke them. Throughout the season, Brooks and his teammates have put them into action.

Toughness is a character trait that Brooks displayed when he was with the Grizzlies, as he took on Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James in the 2023 NBA playoffs. Though Memphis lost that series, Brooks did not flinch.

In Houston, the unwavering mindset starts with head coach Ime Udoka, who believes his team must fight fire with fire when opponents try to bully them with on-court physicality. That’s what the Bulls tried to do on Thursday in Houston’s 127-117 victory.

With 6:02 remaining in the third quarter, Chicago forward DeMar DeRozan committed an egregious foul against Rockets guard Jalen Green, sending him to the floor grimacing in pain.

As the medical staff rushed to check on him, DeRozan and Brooks got into an altercation, which subsequently led to DeRozan swinging an elbow to Brooks’ chin. That led to an on-court encounter between both teams, with teammates and coaches separating them.

Once the officials reviewed the video footage, they determined that DeRozan’s foul on Green was a flagrant two, and he was ejected from the game. Brooks was given a technical foul and ejected; it was determined by referees that he escalated the situation.

“I didn’t love it being that (Brooks) got elbowed, and he walked over and didn’t say anything crazy,” Udoka said regarding the scuffle. “What they say the rules are is the guy that kind of instigates it, that gets it to that step after DeRozan did what he did … he got (ejected) because of that. Don’t love that he got hit, but if you walk over, that’s basically the rule, and that is how they explained it to me.”

Even though the Rockets lost one of their hottest offensive weapons in Brooks, who scored 23 points in 25 minutes played while playing excellent defense against DeRozan, Houston did not succumb to the Bulls’ rough play. Instead, the Rockets used it as motivation to finish the game and secure their seventh straight win.

“It has been good,” Udoka said when asked about his team playing more physically in recent weeks. “I think we talked about from the start of the season about effort and competitiveness. Not a bad thing to have these types of chippy games. … I don’t mind that part at all.”

“It is good that guys are battling and getting competitive,” Udoka said of his improving team. “We are all playing for something, and they are not backing down. A guy takes a hit, and teammates are going to stand up for each other. You have seen about three or four of those (on-court scuffles), and it is a good thing, in my opinion.”

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After sluggish start, Rockets find inspiration from Ime Udoka

“He told us to wake up,” Jabari Smith Jr. says of Ime Udoka’s halftime message in Washington. “We had to come with a sense of urgency, and we did that.”

WASHINGTON — Houston head coach Ime Udoka looked disgusted as his team headed to the locker room for Tuesday’s halftime. Yes, the Rockets (33-35) held a narrow lead on the road versus the short-handed Wizards (11-58), but that wasn’t why he was so frustrated.

He watched his team allow the lowly Wizards to shoot 45.5% (10-for-22) from 3-point range, which kept Washington in the game.

Udoka has become known for his tough, no-nonsense approach with players this season, and that didn’t change when he got them into the locker room on Tuesday night. He held them longer than usual, ensuring his message resonated throughout the room.

Even so, the message didn’t seem to hit home until the Wizards took their first lead of the game, courtesy of a 27-foot shot from Patrick Baldwin Jr. (a 3-pointer). As the Rockets called timeout, Udoka received a technical foul for arguing with referee Tom Washington.

“My message was, we are playing with the game, messing around with the game,” Udoka said when asked about his halftime speech. “We were scoring at a high enough clip, but we have to guard. We didn’t come out great; I got a technical, and they went up on us.”

Still upset by that previous referee interaction, Udoka addressed his team again during the timeout and reminded them Washington wasn’t going to roll over because they were short-handed.

That message seemed to finally turn the light on for the young Rockets, as they used the last 9:25 of the third quarter to regain their dominance over the Wizards. In all, Houston outscored Washington, 39-16, to take a commanding 101-82 lead into the final period.

“We didn’t come out great, but we flipped it from there,” Udoka said. “Maybe my technical help them get that motivation going. We finally turned it around after a slow start coming out.”

With the game tied and 6:36 left in the third quarter, Wizards coach Brian Keefe watched Houston increase its intensity by getting stops on defense and turning the misses and turnovers into points.

“We made a lot of coverage mistakes, but it was really the last six minutes of the third quarter,” Keefe said when asked how the game got out of hand. “That game was back and forth until that point.”

After regaining their composure, the trio of Jalen Green (42 points, 10 rebounds), Amen Thompson (25 points, 10 rebounds) and Jabari Smith Jr. (18 points, 14 rebounds) contributed double-doubles to help the Rockets win their sixth consecutive game. Thompson’s scoring total set a career high, while Green tied his personal best.

“He told us to wake up,” Jabari Smith Jr. told Rockets Wire about Udoka’s halftime message. “It was a mutual thing because everyone knew it. We had to come with a sense of urgency, and we did that. It is how you have to approach it, and that is how we went about it.”

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After career night, Rockets rookie Amen Thompson proud of his growth as off-ball threat

“The progress I have been making, I am proud,” Amen Thompson (career-high 25 points) says. “Learning how to play off the ball… is something I never had to do before.”

WASHINGTON — Early in Tuesday’s game, the Wizards had seen enough of Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green destroying their man-to-man defense, and they wanted to do something about it.

After watching Green scored 37 points in last week’s matchup at Houston and seeing the 22-year-old score 19 points during Tuesday’s first quarter at Capital One Arena, interim head coach Brian Keefe made a defensive adjustment on the fly.

Washington decided to trap and/or double team Green when he touched the ball, often using the man initially assigned to rookie Amen Thompson. When they were not doubling Green, the Wizards went zone, hoping to keep Green out of the paint.

The execution of those defensive schemes worked, limiting Green throughout the second quarter and early in the third quarter. But that strategy opened the game up for Thompson, who finished with a career-high 25 points and 10 rebounds in Houston’s blowout victory. Thompson took the defensive adjustment personally.

“I take it as a little bit of disrespect to double off of me,” Thompson said with a smile during his postgame interview.

Thompson, 21, has been vital to his team’s current six-game winning streak. After starting center Alperen Sengun hurt his ankle in Sacramento on March 10, the 6-foot-7 rookie was inserted into the starting lineup, and he has flourished in that role. During that stretch, the No. 4 pick from the 2023 NBA draft has averaged 17.2 points and 8.2 rebounds per game while shooting over 80%.

Playing in the proverbial “dunker’s spot,” Thompson is finding his rhythm near the rim, which is still unfamiliar for the natural guard.

“The progress I have been making, I am proud of myself,” Thompson said after Tuesday’s victory in Washington. “Learning how to play off the ball, which is something I never had to do before. I feel like I am really learning how to do that. I see my teammates trusting me more in certain situations to make a play or score. So, I am learning where to be at and taking my opportunities to score.”

Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka is well aware of Thompson’s advantages on both ends of the court. The uber-athletic rookie was a menace on defense, all while ensuring he had a good position around the rim on offense for his teammates to find him.

“When they go zone, he is really good in the middle,” Udoka said. “He can pass it or one dribble; he is right at the rim. He is so athletic; he can catch it in there and make a play and be right at the rim.”

Against the Wizards, Thompson’s success in the game’s middle stages eventually relieved some of the pressure on Green, who erupted again late in the third quarter as Houston put the game away.

Thompson’s presence will be needed as Houston (33-35) makes its final push at a 2024 postseason spot. It trails Golden State (35-32) by 2 1/2 games for 10th in the Western Conference standings, which represents the final play-in tournament berth.

That dynamic could make an April 4 game at Toyota Center between the Rockets and Warriors even more exciting, since there could be plenty of playoff implications. Houston is 23-11 at home this season, which could bolster their chances, and the Rockets will have an opportunity to build on that mark in an upcoming three-game homestand versus Chicago, Utah and Portland.

First up for the Rockets is that home matchup versus the Bulls (34-35), which tips off at 7 p.m. Central on Thursday.

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With Alperen Sengun out, Jabari Smith Jr., Jock Landale stepping up in frontcourt for Rockets

The Rockets haven’t lost a game since Alperen Sengun’s injury, and improved play from Jabari Smith Jr. and Jock Landale is a big reason for it.

With star center Alperen Sengun likely out for the remainder of the NBA’s 2023-24 regular season, the Houston Rockets found themselves thin in the frontcourt when it comes to traditional big men.

While rookie Amen Thompson has filled in capably in the starting lineup, the athletic rookie certainly isn’t a post presence.

Enter Jabari Smith Jr. and Jock Landale. Smith moved from power forward to center after Sengun’s injury, and Landale has taken on a bigger role in matchups where Houston needs rim protection (and to help fill some of Thompson’s vacated bench minutes).

Landale had a career-high 7 blocks in Tuesday’s blowout victory at Washington, while Smith finished with 18 points and 14 rebounds while shooting 7-of-13 from the field (53.8%).

“It was great,” Rockets head coach Ime Udoka said of Landale’s career night as a shot blocker. “We acknowledged him in the locker room, about that. He was part of the unit that really got us going, from an energy standpoint. Meeting guys at the rim, making the right plays in there, and deterring shots, even if he didn’t block it.”

In four games since losing Sengun to injury, which have all been won by the Rockets, the frontcourt duo is averaging:

  • Smith: 17.3 points, 8.8 rebounds; 55.3% FG, 42.1% on 3-pointers in 30.5 minutes
  • Landale: 10.0 points (64.0% FG), 3.8 rebounds, 2.3 blocks, 2.0 assists in 22.5 minutes

To say the least, both sets of numbers are significantly ahead of each player’s averages for the season to date. Houston’s perfect record during these four games is obviously ahead of its usual clip, as well.

“He quietly went about his business,” Udoka said of Smith following Tuesday’s impressive road victory over the Wizards. “Four offensive rebounds, and there’s all the things he does besides switching and guarding some bigs. I thought he was really good.”

With four straight road victories, six consecutive overall wins, and an 8-1 record in March, Udoka and the Rockets will now look to keep that momentum rolling when they return to Houston (33-35) for a three-game homestand — starting Thursday night at Toyota Center. Tipoff versus the Bulls (34-35) is at 7:00 p.m. Central.

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Rockets coach Ime Udoka sees things clicking for Jalen Green

Ime Udoka on Jalen Green: “It’s not always going to happen overnight, and it’s a little slower for other people, but it’s really been clicking for him.”

In his comments after Jalen Green’s first Western Conference Player of the Week award, Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka said the recognition was deserved, and it reflects improvement across the board for his talented third-year shooting guard.

In a perfect week for the Rockets (3-0), Green averaged more than 26 points per game, a team best, on strong efficiency.

Here’s what Udoka told reporters in Tuesday’s pregame media session from Washington, where the Rockets (32-35) face the Wizards (11-57) later that evening.

As transcribed by Dave Hardisty of ClutchFans:

The assist numbers, the shooting numbers, the defensive competitiveness, all those areas have really improved.

It’s not always going to happen overnight, and it’s a little slower for other people, but it’s really been clicking for him. Even before All-Star break, you could see some signs — the double-doubles in a row, the five-game stretch he really had. To put it all together now, it’s even more needed with some guys going down [due to injury].

With Green playing a central role, Houston (32-35) entered Tuesday with a 7-1 record in March and five consecutive victories.

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‘Playing his ass off’: As Rockets guards improve, Fred VanVleet lauds Jalen Green’s growth

Fred VanVleet on Jalen Green: “The better he plays, the easier it is on everybody. I’ve got to give him all the credit. He’s been playing his ass off.”

Heading into the NBA’s 2023-24 All-Star break, Rockets head coach Ime Udoka left his team and its fans with something to consider. He had just watched his team struggle versus a depleted Grizzlies team (missing four starters) to secure what was Houston’s fifth loss in six games, including a four-game losing streak.

“Maybe I have to look at the rotation and the lineup I have out there starting and try to get five competitors out there at one time to avoid poor starts,” Udoka said after that loss in Memphis.

After reflecting on his statement, Udoka decided to keep his starting rotation together and not make any changes. Still, the message resonated throughout the Rockets’ locker room.

Although he never mentioned names, his starting backcourt of Fred VanVleet and Jalen Green knew some of Udoka’s comments were directed at them. Both knew they needed to reassure their head coach they could get the job done if given the opportunity to continue playing together.

Since the All-Star break, that duo has become one of the NBA’s hottest backcourts. That has helped the Rockets get back into contention for a potential Western Conference play-in tournament berth. Entering Monday, the Rockets (32-35) are 7-1 in March, and their five-game winning streak is tied with Udoka’s former team (the Boston Celtics) for the league’s longest active streak.

During their March resurgence, VanVleet has averaged 20.1 points and 10 assists per game. He has had four double-doubles over the past eight games and is keeping Houston in games by not giving away possessions, averaging just 2 turnovers during that stretch.

“With the spacing and just trying to give the ball to the playmakers and let guys make plays,” VanVleet said when asked about being in control of the game from the point guard position. “It is my job to get guys in the right spot and give them the ball.”

VanVleet’s backcourt mate, Green, has been in the right position over the last 10 games, with Houston posting a 7-3 record. The third-year prospect has become more effective and efficient on both ends of the floor, and that’s something he struggled with earlier in the season — often leading to reduced playing time.

During Houston’s current winning streak, Green is averaging 25 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game, shooting 49.5% from the floor and 41% from 3-point range.

“That’s all him,” VanVleet said about Green. “He’s been rolling. I got to give him all the credit. He’s got that swag, that confidence, making shots at a high level. His threes are getting better. But he’s been playing good ball for a while, now, at both ends of the floor. He’s guarding. He’s taking pride in rebounding. The better he plays, the easier it is on everybody. He’s been playing his ass off.”

That improvement out of the backcourt is vital for a Houston team that is suddenly without rising star Alperen Sengun at center, and that appears likely to remain the case for the rest of this season. The Rockets are 3-0 since Sengun’s March 10 injury.

VanVleet, Green and the rest of the Rockets look to keep that momentum rolling when they visit Washington (11-57) on Tuesday (6 p.m. Central). Houston enters the week 3 1/2 games out of the West’s final play-in tournament spot.

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As Rockets creep closer to play-in race, Ime Udoka focused on execution, not standings

“More than talk about standings, we are just going to try and continue to play good basketball and see what happens,” Ime Udoka says of the surging Rockets.

Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka doesn’t consistently check NBA standings, but he is well aware of where his team stands with 16 games left to play in the 2023-24 regular season.

Courtesy of their 135-119 home victory over the Washington Wizards on Thursday, the Rockets (31-35) inched closer in the standings to the Golden State Warriors (34-31), who now have a 3 1/2-game lead for the final spot in the Western Conference play-in tournament spot for the 2023-24 playoffs. The two teams will meet at Toyota Center on April 4, and the game could have playoff implications.

“I know we are a few games behind some teams, so we want to continue to play this way, and regardless, we will live with the results,” Udoka said in Thursday’s postgame. “We will need some help, obviously, but as far as that, it was somewhat self-inflicted with the games we gave away early (in the season). This is what we were searching for, more consistency across the board, like this.”

Houston is on a four-game winning streak, which is its longest of the 2024 calendar year. They won six games straight in early November and another five in a row in December. The Rockets are 6-1 in March, with the only loss coming to the Los Angeles Clippers — in a game they led by 20 points during the first half.

Houston will play nine of its next 16 games against teams currently in the playoffs or play-in field. They will need to play almost flawlessly to make the postseason.

That task would be more doable for the young Rockets team if it were fully healthy. Unfortunately, third-year center Alperen Sengun (ankle), rookie forward Cam Whitmore (knee) and second-year forward Tari Eason (leg) are all out of the rotation.

“Unfortunate that Alpi (Sengun) and Cam go down in a time when we are really making a push,” Udoka told reporters Thursday. “Others will have to step up, and I think they have done that. More than talk about standings, we are just going to try and continue to play good basketball and see what happens with the others.”

The Rockets look to keep their playoff hopes alive Saturday with a 4 p.m. Central matchup versus the Cavaliers. Led by Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland (42-24) is third in the East standings and should present a significant challenge to Udoka’s Rockets.

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Ime Udoka envisions years to come with Alperen Sengun in Houston

Rockets coach Ime Udoka on Alperen Sengun: “I think he’s taken a huge step forward, and we’re looking forward to having him for years to come.”

Though his 2023-24 season is likely over due to knee and ankle injuries suffered recently on his right leg, Alperen Sengun already made a sufficiently positive impression on the Houston Rockets.

Once his third NBA season officially concludes, the 21-year-old rising star will be eligible for a new contract. His current rookie-scale deal expires after the 2024-25 league year, for which Sengun is expected to return healthy.

While salary cap math could prompt the Rockets to wait on a new contract until the 2025 offseason, rather than this summer, it’s becoming quite clear  Houston sees the Turkish phenom as a key part of its future. Here’s what head coach Ime Udoka told Matt Thomas on SportsTalk 790, the team’s official flagship radio station:

He’s such a great anchor in the post. He initiates so much offense and attracts so much attention. He was getting everybody wide open looks. He’ll definitely be missed.

I’m proud of what he did this year and the progress he made. I think he’s taken a huge step forward, and we’re looking forward to having him for years to come.

A crafty, 6-foot-10 big man, Sengun averaged a team-high 21.1 points (53.7% FG), 9.3 rebounds and 5 assists in 63 games this season. His success played a key role in the success of the improving Rockets (30-35), who are substantially ahead of their 22-60 record from last season and have now won five of their last six games.

The complete Udoka-Thomas interview can be listened to below.

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Ime Udoka sees Alperen Sengun’s final injury diagnosis as good news for Rockets

“The best news is that it is not broken, and no ligaments torn,” Ime Udoka says of Alperen Sengun’s diagnosis. “In the big picture, it was good news.”

SAN ANTONIO — Prior to Tuesday’s matchup versus the Spurs, Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka confirmed center Alperen Sengun will miss several weeks after being diagnosed with a Grade 3 right ankle sprain, along with a bone bruise to his knee.

The third-year big man was injured late in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 112-104 victory in Sacramento when he landed awkwardly after contesting a shot by Kings center Domantas Sabonis. Sengun fell to the baseline in agonizing pain, and medical staff used a wheelchair to take him to the locker room.

“Some relief,” Udoka said when asked about the final diagnosis. “Obviously you hate to see him miss time in general, but the best news is that it is not broken, and no ligaments torn. Although he will be out for several weeks, in the big picture, it was good news.”

Udoka also had an opportunity to speak with Sengun after being diagnosed with no broken bones.

“He was happy to get that news,” Udoka told reporters Tuesday. “Not only was it a painful injury that looked bad, but he was probably just scared on the court at that time.”

Sengun had a great season, averaging 21.1 points, 9.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game in 63 starts for Houston. Coach Udoka will have to shuffle his starting lineup to fill the void in the middle.

On Tuesday, he turned to second-year forward Jabari Smith Jr., who often uses his offensive skills to draw bigger and more physical defenders out of the lane. He will also play with his back to the basket on different sets, which he has no issue with.

“Me setting the screen makes it hard for them (opposing centers) to switch,” Smith told Rockets Wire before the game. “Just me with my speed. I feel like it is harder for bigger people to guard me.”

Smith’s versatility can also make him a menace on the defensive end. Ideally, this puts the Rockets in a situation where they will have quicker players on the floor to help prevent open 3-point shots, which they have struggled with at many junctures of the 2023-24 season

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