The Houston Rockets' push for the No. 10 seed in the West has virtually come to an end with a 133-110 loss to the Warriors, creating a four-game buffer between the two teams. Rockets head coach Ime Udoka was not happy with his team, criticizing them after the game.
"It looked like the moment was too big for a lot of players out there. Looked like deer in headlights a little bit. Either looked soft or scared, one or the other. That's two bad things for a lot of our guys to have. Didn't rise up to the moment like I thought we would."
The Rockets are still a relatively young team, starting rookie Amen Thompson and sophomore Jabari Smith Jr. tonight. Jalen Green is in Year 3 and recently showcased his potential, though he had a very disappointing night with just 13 points. Dillon Brooks and Fred VanVleet are experienced players, but their quality wasn't enough to overcome a team led by Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green.
This is the first season since James Harden's exit where the Rockets have even tried to be competitive, which is a big step forward for the franchise. Ime Udoka has had a very positive impact on the team and it's clear that these comments by him serve more as a learning for this young Rockets squad, who played their first high-stakes regular-season game in years tonight.
Unfortunately, as Rockets fans know, another season with any competitive hope has ended with a loss to the Warriors. At least the future is looking brighter than ever for the franchise.
The Houston Rockets Are On The Right Path
In three seasons under Stephen Silas, the Rockets were rooted to the bottom of the NBA, finishing with the worst record for two seasons before improving to the joint second-worst record last season. Firing Silas and bringing in Udoka was the first sign of a competitive shift in Houston, which was followed up with veteran signings such as Dillon Brooks and Fred VanVleet.
Unfortunately, the Rockets couldn't compete this season itself due to an incredibly challenging playoff race in the West and the inconsistencies of their young players. Udoka has put in place a structure within which everyone can grow.
Jalen Green was decidedly unimpressive for most of the season before becoming one of the best players in the league for March 2024. His numbers are slowly regressing after his incredible March, averaging 17.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 6.0 assists in their last three losses. He's averaging 19.9 points and 5.1 rebounds for the season, disappointing the Rockets fans who saw Green drafted as the No. 2 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft with superstar potential.
The team is actively looking to become more competitive, trying to swing a trade for Mikal Bridges in the winter by using Green as their best asset. Whether some young players are moved out over the summer to bring win-now veterans is something we'll have to wait and see, but it's clear that the Rockets are moving in a winning direction under Udoka.
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