Ime Udoka reacts to Rockets shocking late collapse in Brooklyn 2/4/2025

Unfortunate loss tonight. Obviously should have been a win. We need a KD or Booker to really make this team a legit contender this year otherwise we may be an early playoff exit.

 

He didn’t blame anyone. He just said the player needed to use the baseline and call timeout if he didn’t like what he saw. That’s the call of the players on the court and that’s why coaches train and teach situational awareness or scenarios empowering players to make that call. Besides Udoka was on the other end of the court with low visibility. That call was on Amen and this is about accountability.

But Rockets were outmatched and scrambled the whole game. They once again blew many opportunities and the defense was once again lacking. A lot of standing around and miscommunication on defense.

Let’s move on and see if they can right this by beating the Wolves and get back to winning.

 

He does know he can call timeout too, right? Any other coach would have been screaming for one as soon as they saw our entire team just standing around.

The lack of a timeout there is just as much on Ime, if not more, than it is on Amen

 

Could he not have called timeout to advance the ball

 

That pass could have been executed twice. Amen simply made a bad play. Has nothing to do with Udoka

 

He could but wanted to save it. What if they are stuck advancing it again? You wouid want a timeout

 

Fred is second on the team at about 36 mpg.

 

This group looks like it has worked on inbounding plays for a grand total of about 2 minutes. I've been on intermural teams that spent more time on this phase of the game. It's not an area where the coaches have infused any teaching.

Since the game was invented, coaches have taken ADVANTAGE of inbounds plays because they give an opportunity to regroup and do something as a team. We play as if we're just hoping not to screw up and turn the ball over. But it can be a strength very easily if you install plays, wrinkles and general principles.

The Rockets are at their very worst when the ref hands us the ball and starts counting. There's tons of evidence--well beyond this recent meltdown. So Ime, quit preaching "physicality" and "effort" and demand some execution when the ball is inbounded.

Is it surprising that we stand around on an inbounding play when that's what we do on offense 90% of the time? There's almost no player movement in our scheme. So, of course, we drift into these bad habits when the game is on the line.

Coaches, please fix this aspect of the game. It's one of the fundamentals.

 

I talked with my friend last night before the last possession when we had an inbound play under the basket that I dearly missed MDA's plays. Those were basically free points every time we had an opportunity.

This is one area of growth we need from our coaching staff because it seems every out of bounds play we have no matter the position is an absolute struggle.

 

The lack of accountability from Udoka is troubling. I like the culture he has built in general, but it should also include taking responsibility for his own mistakes (not calling the timeout, not coaching them on the slowing down the final plays, etc.).

 

It does have to do with Udoka for having Amen in that position to begin with. He has been poor at it all year and had already screwed it up once before in this game. I'm sure Amen will be man enough to take the blame, but Ime can't seem to do it.

 

I had missed yesterday’s collapse, and just now saw the final 3 minutes



those ill-advised threes from Reed Sheppard and Jalen Green were insanely low IQ

the missed free throws

the turnover on the inbounds play by Amen Thompson

wow

 

Lol this. This teams been doing this for a whole now except we kept getting away with it. Everyone's at fault really.

1. Ime for not calling the time out and his wonky rotations.
2. Sengun for showing up after the 3Q (again) and missing 6 FTs.
3. Amen for being a turnover machine.
4. Stone for signing Jalen Green to an extension he didn't deserve.
5. Dillon for getting roasted repeatedly in space.
6. Wtf is Tari's health issue

Eventually these bad habits were going to cost us. We should've lost to Cleveland but didn't. There's been a ton of games we've eked out. They needed these losses to learn.

If I ever see Aaron ****ing Holiday play before Reed I'm gonna lose my ****.

 

How many times did he “screw” up all year? What does “poor” mean? Udoka liked Amen’s defense and likely thought he would be better inbounding since he isn’t a good FT shooter. Coaches empower and trust their players. Thompson didn’t execute end of story. Sengun didn’t hit at least 2 more FT’s. They should have held the ball the position on the off rebound instead of shooting a 3. Rockets struggled against an undermanned Net team.

 

I was never the biggest fan of Popovich, even though he won, but at least he took accountability. Ime is nowhere near Pop’s level to even warrant this arrogance.

 

The hate has transferred from Jalen to Udoka I see.

 

Nope, I’ve always been vocal about my dislike for his lack of taking accountability and to me he comes across as quite confident and to a degree arrogant.

 

He has been guilty of 5 second calls at least 3 times I can remember and probably more. Call a timeout and get all your free throw shooters in the game. He screwed up the in-bound pass earlier in this game. Do you deny that the Rockets have struggled with this part of basketball this year?

If you agree that they struggle with one of the easiest things that professional teams do, who would you look to for correction? I would look at the coach, but then I would be torched for criticiziing the almight Udoka. Our young team has lots of weaknesses. Our third year head coach does to. I criticize people all the time for just looking at the offensive side of the ball when assessing players. I think it is fair to criticize a coach that only looks at one side of the ball as well.

 

Criticism should not automatically construe hate. Udoka is deservedly Coach of the Month + Jalen deservedly Player of the Week. Some of these recent issues like inbounding, calling timeout, turnovers + shooting early in shot clock are fixable internally don't you agree?

 

Yeah, the whole hating crap is just woke BS. We are on a sports forum and legitimate criticism is what fans should do. If I hated Udoka, I would be screaming for his head, not just saying he needs to get better. In my honest opinion, I think he is the best defensive coach and one of the best motivators in the league. I also, think his rotations leave a lot to be desired and needs help to run an offense. I could be wrong or even unfair, but there is not hate involved and I don't want him fired. If we fail this year and next, without improvement in his areas of weaknesses then I might legitimately think he should be fired, depending on available replacements. I said all along this should be mostly a development year, but I will be extremely impatient if he and Stone punt next year by running out the same tired offensive scheme with the same mediocre vets.