Ime Udoka on major impact of Tari, Amen in win over Clippers 11/13/2024

Three in a row, great job Coach Ime and team.

These 22-year-olds might compete for top defense in the league depending on how OKC without Chet goes.

 

So it’s very clear to me Ime recognizes that Amen and Tari need as many minutes as possible. Dillon is playing well and we know Ime loves him. Sengun gonna get about 30. I think Bari is going down to 20 min. It just seems like simple math in the front court.

 

Hate on his offense all you want but this man can coach and has a ton of youngsters out there grinding night in and night out playing strong, gritty defense.

 

Loved his comparison for Amen.

 

Can’t even hate on the offense. We had so many open looks today but Green and FVV were throwing up bricks. We were almost up 20 while our shooters were missing.

 

Chet hurt already?

 

Right illac crest injury.

 

Truth. I like how he actually gave us an insight to what he pointed out at half-time with dribbling into traffic instead of kicking it out and that their focus was already on this part before the game.

Btw what’s up with Feigen with the random questions?

 

I couldn’t hear it. Who was his comparison?

 

How many more games if Ime going to claim the opponent likes to pack the paint? Hahaha I've counted 4 interviews he's said this.

IME, they will all pack the paint as long as you play this way. All good teams certainly will. You can't just accept that.

 

I had to repeat it a thousand times, but I'm pretty sure he said Ausar and just pronounced it in a weird way.

 

The anti Ime propaganda will continue to lose steam. He's doing an exceptional job.

 

Maybe he'll keep saying it until Stone brings in some actual shooting .

 

You can tell that he considers Amen his draft pick and wants to adopt him

 

I’ll gladly eat crow for wanting to fire IME shoulda had patience

 

It is hard to know how good an offensive coach he is - because he doesn't have enough people that can shoot the ball, and I don't care how good or bad a coach is at offense, if your team cannot hit open perimeter shots - you will not have a good offense, the lanes to the basket will close and everything will be mucked up.

 

They are packing the paint because the Rockets are not hitting open perimeter shots.

In 2024 - if you cannot hit open perimeter shots, the paint is going to be packed and that cuts off penetration and lanes to the basket.

Part of the reason Green hasn't been as good is because there are no lanes to the basket.

 

Oh not at all. They packed the paint in Game 1 brother. They're not packing the paint just cause we're not making. They're packing the paint because they know we have slashers and not shooters. They don't need new evidence.

If I'm playing Ja Morant, I'm packing the paint. I don't care if he gets hot for a bit. I'm packing the paint because the most damaging thing Morant can do is destroy the paint. If their coach then just decides the best thing is for Ja Morant to take 10+ 3pters a game, I've won. I've eliminated the biggest threat from the opponent's perimeter players. That's why the Grizzlies lead the league in transition, because they know they're not going to be the team that beats you with 3pters. Watch Ja's numbers decline now that Edey reduces their spacing and pace.

You adjust your strategy to suit your players. Sure, it's still going to end up with some 3pters being taken by non-ideal shooters, but you can dramatically minimize this. You can't suddenly decide Jalen Green has to be good at taking one of the highest volume of 3's in the NBA. It's just not going to go well if you try to fit a square peg into a round hole.