Udoka dissects late-game lapses, shot selection errors, and pacing issues plaguing the Rockets' loss. Fixable mistakes demand immediate attention for future wins.
Ime Udoka didn’t sugarcoat anything after the loss to Denver. The Rockets played well enough to win, but there are weaknesses that continue to plague the Rockets in these high-stress matchups.
The first issue was rotations and reaction time, especially late. Houston defended the Murray-Jokić two-man action well in stretches, but Udoka stated the rotations were “a little late”. Against Denver, half-seconds become points and that’s the standard that Houston should hold themselves to.
Udoka also pointed out the shot selection problem, especially from Durant and Sengun. Denver packs the paint, and Udoka said the Rockets were “playing to the crowd,” forcing shots over two and three defenders instead of hitting the open kickouts. There were options that were wide open several times that the two seemed to ignore.
That’s a trust issue more than a talent issue- and it’s fixable. Once the kickouts started rolling, Reed Sheppard and Jabari Smith Jr. started drilling threes, and the Rockets have them to thank for hanging in there til the end, especially Sheppard.
The next piece of homework the Rockets have is working on stagnant offense and pace issues. Before Steven Adams came in and started screening with force, Houston’s offense looked slower and more predictable than Denver’s. Udoka said it himself: they have to “play with more pace,” especially to avoid slow starts.
Spacing was another major point. When Houston had two bigs and Amen on the floor with Denver’s size, Udoka said it slowed the offense and turned the paint into a “wrestling match”. They’ll need to be quicker about adjusting lineups when spacing disappears.
None of this is fatal and is typical of younger teams. If Houston wants to take Denver down next month, they’ve got some work to do.