Man... this has been one of the better days for Houston sports. Texans upset the Bengals and the Rockets upset the Nuggets... will be going to bed with a huge grin
Man, Udoka's rotations and substitution choices have been so spot on. The guy's unafraid to mix and match lineups, and it's been paying off in a big way.
One thing is to coach but the other thing is the players have to execute those plays to the T. So I am still giving more props to the players for doing that....it is not easy. Someone drawing up plays is still the passive one...... For players to grasp instantly and be doing the exact same thing on the court has been a revelation.
Yup. It’s about the team. This is not about individual play or stats. It’s about doing what is best for the W. Guys seem totally bought in. Ime is a helluva coach.
In the world of social media and forums, there are trolls, haters, and idiots. How can you recognize idiots? When the team wins they disappear! I'm wondering: what are they doing at this time?
Sure in the end it's the players who have to execute. But the coach has to have clear plans and communicate them in the right way to the right players. For instance, I love what happens near the end of the highlight below of FVV's 3-pointer from the previous game. While everyone's going wild, Udoka's out there using the time to have a quick huddle with Green and Sengun. Of course, it's just a glimpse and I have no idea what's being said, but it seems like he's always intent on getting the players on the same page.
I have said it in another thread......Udoka is probably the only one coaching his heart out as if it was his last day......in Mid November..... But also kudos to Ben Sullivan, Ivey, and those other guys.......they worked hard.
Love how Ime can be seen talking 1 on 1 with players, especially when they've not been playing well. Must give a huge amount of confidence to them. And love the subs and reducing minutes to guys who haven't been playing well (Landale and Bullock). Must be leading coach of the year 10 games in.
I think that’s true, but there has to be something to Ime’s coaching style because guys aren’t continuing to make the same mistakes over and over and over again. I think there is a culture of accountability that hasn’t been in this organization for a really REALLY long time and it carries through in all parts of the game. For instance, the guys all play for each other and do the little things to win and Ime plays the guys who are contributing on that night. I think there is a trust there between Coach and team - if Jabari is benched late, he isn’t sulking, he’s cheering his team on.sometimes he is getting the big minutes late, others like tonight, it was Jeff making the plays and everyone was supportive of doing what it takes to win. That trust did NOT exist with Silas and I think it makes this team super dangerous because there are a lot of really talented guys here and they just have to be solid and trust in each other to win games…the individual excellence will come eventually but these are ALL winning habits you are seeing out there.
With respect: a coach who only draws up plays is certainly a passive one. A coach who runs players through drills and film sessions and repetitive play actions is not passive. They are fairly proactive in teaching the players how to be in positions where they can succeed. A good coach can get middling players to overachieve through the practice of effective habits. A bad coach can let good players underachieve and learn bad habits. I certainly agree we have better players than last season. But we are also seeing better play from some of the players we had last season!
The difference from last year so far John Hollinger stats Offence 2022-23 season 107.7 (29th) 2023-24 season 111.0 (13th) Defence 2022-23 season 117.1 (29th) 2023-24 season 106.6 (8th) NBA.com Offence 2022-23 season 110.5 (27th) 2023-24 season 113.1 (10th) Defence 2022-23 season 118.6 (29th) 2023-24 season 108.1 (5th)
My hope Is that management/ownership give Ime the Popovich treatment. Rockets Team before any 1 player. You dont wanna put effort on the defensive end...sit your ass down! You don't take care of the ball... sit your ass down! You do some dumb ****, sit there and take this "ASS RIPPING" learn and do better.
