Ime Udoka after Rockets can't stop Pacers in Indiana 3/4/2025

He was really in a funk the first half of the season, reportedly playing though some leg injuries. But even then he is on pace to have the all-time record in assist/TO ratio, while playing at a fast tempo.

Not one single other player in NBA history has gotten to 500 assists in any season while having less than 100 TOs.

Over the last month:
24 points per game
60% shooting
55% from 3-point range range
100% from the FT line
12 assists per game
1.1 TOs/ game
2.6 steals/game

 

If Amen could get 12 apg, I think you would be right considering how great Amen is on defense.

 

those early weeks of the season are history, that team performance is not coming back since every opponent started packing the paint and our record has turned dismal the past couple months. we would not beat the pacers or kings in a playoff series right now. and the number one reason is the coaching staff’s lack of any semblance of an offensive system

 

Right - and that is why the rebuild has been positive but not the success that some fans think to this point. The Rockets tanked, they got 4-5 very high draft picks and while none of them are busts, none of them are currently franchise players. The Rockets do still have assets - and they clearly have the guys to put around a franchise player --- but they still lack the hardest commodity to get in the NBA, a true top 5-10 player in the league.

The Rockets have to hope that one shakes loose - and there are candidates, but they all have major flaws.

Durant is 37 years old and isn't a solution beyond possibly next year and will cost assets.

Devin Booker is possible as well, but I am not sure he is a real franchise player and he has said his choice would be to remain in Phoenix.

Trae Young is possible, and he potentially can handle the load offensively but he is very flawed as well.

LaMelo Ball is possible as well, but he has not been taught how to play to win and is out of control.


Plus, these players will have some say in where they go and other teams with assets will be trying to get them as well.

Something needs to break for the Rockets to get to the next level --- either Amen or Jalen take a monster step forward or someone like LeMelo Ball forces his way to Houston and quickly adapts.

 

The season needs to be taken as a whole and the Rockets have also dealt with a lot of injury issues. The paint has been packed basically since the third game of the season - and that is a roster issue as well.

I don't mind Udoka bringing in someone to run the offense - but it isn't going to make a big difference until the talent composition and level at the top improves.

 

To be fair, When Adleman was here, Yao and Tracy were constantly injured. Adleman's last three years here he didn't really have Tracy and the last two years here he didn't have Tracy or Yao.

This is the team he had his last year here:



Guess where they finished in PPG and offensive rating?



Adleman, IMO, was a better offensive coach than Dantoni.

I won't put all the offensive issues on Ime...I think if he had better offensive players he'd be fine...but he doesn't really have these guys playing optimally either. He's just not a great offensive coach. Don't need to be with the right players...but unfortunately we don't have the right players.

 

LOL He looks like one of the DOGE programmers laying off like 20% of the government.

Does he require that all the players send an email outlining what they accomplished this week?

 

Agree on the offense. The Rockets have a lot of defensive talent. I think he's trying to improve the offense by playing all the better offensive players together (when healthy), but it is weakening the defense more than it is helping the offense.

 

That team went 43-39...... below their expected W/L and were 20th in defense.

I am not claiming that Udoka is some offensive wizard, I am saying that overall the Rockets team is not under performing. It is very hard to be a great defensive and very good offensive team when you lack clear top level offensive talent.

 

Amen will never get to 12 ast/gm until he either learns to shoot, or they surround him with a team full of shooters.

 

Right, but we were talking specifically about offense. And still, 43-39 with THAT group was impressive and a better finish than what we had last year and will likely just be slightly worse than what we do this year.

Also, the expected w/l isn't something that is saying they performed below expectations. That isn't a preseason prediction of the record. It is a formula that is used to say that was the expected record based on how they performed. Having a higher expected W/L than your actual record in that instance is actually a good thing in a way because it is saying you performed better than what your actual win total was.

 

Odds are he will never get to 12 assists per game if you put the greatest shooters of all time around him. Only 4 players in the history of the game have averaged over 12 assists per game for a full season. I think that bar is a bit high? Anywhere from 8-10 along with everything else he does would make him elite.

 

For sure, if he gets to 9-10, that would cement his status as an Offense superstar.

 

I was just responding to the specific part about Adleman and the talent that he worked with.

But I do think there are things Ime could do that would improve their offense without compromising the defense.

But again, no coach is perfect and like I said Ime is fine as a head coach. I think he is capable of winning a championship with the right pieces. I'm am not in favor of getting rid of Ime. I am in favor of getting rid of some of these players and getting him a real star or two...or three....

 

I think Ime Udoka is becoming Don Chaney and Rockets need to look for a Rudy Tomjanovich Type 4 out 1 in Offense.

Rudy Tomjanovich
Rick Adelman
Mike D'Antoni

 

I think your points are valid.

I thought you were talking about overall performance.

There is no doubt that Adelman and MDA are better offensive coaches than Udoka, as they are two of the top 25 offensive coaches ever and probably better than that.

My point is (and I think you get it) is that a team cannot burn it's candle at both ends 100% - the team Adelman had was better situated for offense, and the team that Udoka has now is better situated for defense.

However having a team that is exceptional at both requires have a lot of talent, especially top end talent.

Adelman and MDA never won titles -- but they both were clearly good enough with the right situations. I cannot say that about Udoka yet, the track record is good for him but he hasn't done this long enough.

I do think that this team overall has done more on the court than I would expect based on their talent.

 

You can't win in today's NBA without 3 point shooting. A lineup with FVV Jalen Brooks Amen Sengun has one shooter I trust. And that's Brooks! FVV has been really bad this year and Jalen is hit or miss. Jabari seems like his 3 could improve but he's not even starting now.

We need AT LEAST three good to great three point shooters in our starting lineup. Brooks is good (this year) and FVV and Jalen aren't even good. Jabari isn't good yet, either.

Our lineup can't hang with three point shooting teams in the playoffs. It's like when we play OKC or another great team and it's a tied game. We miss a few shots, they hit three consecutive threes and then we're down by 9. And I don't think the offensive scheme means as much as people think in regards to our 3 pointers going in. Sengun or Fred or Green should be able to penetrate, hit an open player, and they should drain the three. Brooks does this well this season, everyone else is not good enough.

Big changes need to occur this offseason and I don't think FVV will be traded or go to the bench. That yields a lineup of Green, Amen/Brooks, Jabari, Sengun. Some of them need to be traded for shooters/superstars. It's possible that legit shooters on this team might make the need for a superstar less imminent.

 

I think ultimately we are on the same page.

I've not no issues with Ime overall. I think he's a top tier head coach in the league. The Rockets are going to have to supply him with better talent and I think they realize that at this point. I don't think they can go into another season just hoping for internal growth.

 

FVV is still a good 3P shooter. Sometimes guys have down seasons--can't read too much into a half-season sample size--and you have to factor in shooting volume. He's not an elite shooter, but the past six seasons he's averaged 37% from three on 8.5 attempts per game (one of the highest shot volumes in the league). Opposing defenses know he is going to take the shot and if left open it's a high PPP attempt.