Ime Udoka Articles - Page 4

Defense has been the driving force behind the Houston Rockets’ turnaround under first-year coach Ime Udoka in 2023-24. You certainly wouldn’t have known it on Sunday, though, when the Boston Celtics ran right through the Rockets en route to a 145-113 victory during Udoka’s initial return to TD Garden. After the game, the former Celtics […]

Two years ago, the Boston Celtics reached the NBA Finals for the first time in 12 years. It was the first year that Ime Udoka was head coach of the Celtics and the team seemed poised to contend for years to come. But Udoka was suspended the following season for the entire year and the […]

Ime Udoka and the Houston Rockets are in Beantown Saturday night for a showdown against his former team. It got interesting inside the TD Garden even before tip-off when Udoka’s name was mentioned in the team introduction, as Celtics fans showered him with a blend of cheers and boos. Scattered cheers and boos for Ime […]

The Boston Celtics have been the NBA’s best team as the season approaches the halfway point. They have been undefeated through their first 18 home games, and they appear to be at the top of their game despite getting blown out by the Milwaukee Bucks January 11. Former Celtics head coach Ime Udoka has a […]

Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka is making his return to Boston after departing from the Celtics in an unusual farewell. Udoka dealt with a scandal as a head coach that led him toward an opportunity in Houston, despite having success with the Celtics. The Rockets are set to face the Celtics on Saturday night. […]

Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka was only with the Boston Celtics for one season, but he made a lasting impact on his players. Celtics star Jayson Tatum became particularly close with the 46-year-old coach, as Udoka pushed him and helped him make his first All-NBA team in 2022. Tatum and Udoka will have a […]

The Chicago Bulls looked like they were going to have a frustrating year after the first month or so of the season, but the team has done a great job of turning things around, and they have been playing like a playoff team as of late. The Bulls were 5-14 at one point this season, […]

On Friday night, the Boston Celtics routed the Utah Jazz, 126-97. This was nothing out of the ordinary for the 2023-24 C’s, however, the personnel for this game could’ve looked very different if not for one interview question. Following the blowout win, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla revealed that he could’ve been on the Utah […]

The Houston Rockets were once seen as a team that was in the late stages of a rebuild. Their squad was still young. But, moves started clicking once Ime Udoka landed there. Fred VanVleet also arrived along with Dillon Brooks to take the team into better entries in the win column. However, it was the […]

The Rockets knocked off the Pistons on Monday in a 23-point win that has NBA fans buzzing. The Rockets put up 136 points on a night when Coach Ime Udoka’s team showed off its incredible potential as one of the most talented teams in the Western Conference. The Rockets withstood a 19-point barrage from Pistons […]

The Houston Rockets are on a two-game losing skid. Ime Udoka and his squad hope to turn things around against the Philadelphia 76ers as Joel Embiid is not playing. But, they will still need some reinforcements to come back to climb up the Western Conference standings. Jabari Smith Jr. and Dillon Brooks are players who […]

The Houston Rockets have done a good enough job of being competitive during the 2023-24 season thus far. The hiring of new head coach Ime Udoka has worked out for the best, while the additions of Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks via free agency have given them a defense-first identity, helping turn things around for […]

This past offseason, the Houston Rockets had a goal and that was to add meaningful veterans to a young team in desperate need of guidance and leadership. One of those vets the Rockets added was Dillon Brooks. Brooks was unfairly scapegoated for the Memphis Grizzlies’ failures and he’s been a major boost to the Rockets […]

Dillon Brooks has seen his fair share of fines from the NBA over the years. Now, both he and Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka are having to write a check to the league office. On Tuesday, the NBA announced that Brooks has been fined $35,000 and Udoka has been fined $25,000 for directing inappropriate […]

HOUSTON – The Houston Rockets really had a chance to spoil this historic night. During the game, Giannis Antetokounmpo passed NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for most rebounds in Milwaukee Bucks history. On top of that, the newly acquired Damian Lillard scored 39, and both Rockets forward Dillon Brooks and coach Ime Udoka were ejected after […]

Ime Udoka isn’t one to hold back his words. Making headlines two weeks ago due to his verbal altercation with LeBron James, the outspoken Houston Rockets head coach once again let his thoughts be heard. This time, it was about a non-call that presided over an elbow received by Fred VanVleet in Houston’s 128-119 loss […]

It’s common knowledge that ex-Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka didn’t exactly leave the organization on good terms after having an improper relationship with a staffer. Plus, his relationship with actress Nia Long ended because of it. But despite Udoka’s rocky exit, Jayson Tatum appreciated all that he did for the Celtics in his lone […]

The Houston Rockets picked up a surprising upset victory over the Denver Nuggets on Friday night, registering a 114-106 victory over the defending champions. After the game, though, the Rockets couldn’t get out of Denver quick enough, leading to a hilarious video from Tari Eason as Fred VanVleet and Ime Udoka tried to escape the […]

Although head coach Ime Udoka is no longer with the Boston Celtics, it’s clear he made a profound impact on the best players in the team. Beantown star Jayson Tatum gave Udoka his props on the Point Forward podcast, saying he was integral to Boston’s run to the 2022 NBA Finals. While Udoka was suspended […]

HOUSTON – Flying in from a long road trip, the Houston Rockets are back at home as they prepare for Wednesday’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. During their practice on Monday, forward Dillon Brooks and coach Ime Udoka spoke about the recent matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers, mainly citing the abysmal officiating performance. […]

In the world of sports, there are certain words that cannot be uttered without some form of retaliation being expected. Following a heated exchange between Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James and Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka, people on social media did their best to lip read what the latter supposedly said leading up […]

HOUSTON – Another Houston Rockets road loss. At this point, it’s beginning to look comical. An 8-9 overall record without a win on the road continues to spell more trouble with coach Ime Udoka’s squad. Initially, it didn’t appear as such. The Rockets led as many as nine points against the Los Angeles Lakers with […]

Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka is not happy about one thing in their ugly loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday: Houston’s physicality, or the lack thereof. The Rockets boast one of the best defenses in the NBA in 2023-24. They are pesky defenders and have been known to annoy the hell out […]

On Saturday night, the Houston Rockets took on the Los Angeles Lakers and ultimately lost 107-97. However, all of the attention is on Ime Udoka and LeBron James. The two were seen conversing with one another and it led to Udoka being ejected from the game. James received a technical foul, but was able to […]

A verbal spat between Lakers player LeBron James and Rockets coach Ime Udoka is going viral. Udoka was ejected from a Rockets-Lakers game Saturday after getting into a war of words with James. This angle of the LeBron James-Ime Udoka exchange 👀 (via unitedlife4ever / TT)pic.twitter.com/yygVXprFdD — ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 3, 2023 The argument occurred […]

Bolstered by a nearly fully healthy roster, at long last, and fueled by an electric second quarter, LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers (12-9) rolled to an easier-than-expected win over the Houston Rockets, 107-97, on Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena. Playing their fifth contest in eight days — the first in Los Angeles since […]

In a back-and-forth game at American Airlines Center on Tuesday night, the Houston Rockets found themselves on the losing end, falling to the Dallas Mavericks 121-115. This loss not only eliminates the Rockets from the In-Season Tournament, but also extends their road woes. In addition to being 8-7 on the season, Houston is now 0-6 […]

There was no question that Ime Udoka was piecing together something special when he was the head coach of the Boston Celtics. But while Udoka was performing well on the sidelines, the former NBA veteran was also caught having a relationship with a Celtics staff member. This ultimately resulted in suspension for violating the team’s […]

The Houston Rockets have had a much better start to the 2023-24 season than expected, racing out to an 8-6 record after their blowout 105-86 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Friday night. Unsurprisingly, Jalen Green has played a big role in their hot start, and he’s already winning over his new head coach Ime […]

Ime Udoka’s Houston Rockets face a huge problem: Winning on the road. The team’s early season vigor, marked by a 6-3 start, is now overshadowed by their struggles away from home. Houston’s overall record stands at 6-6, with five of those losses coming on the road. Their road struggles–including a defeat to the Los Angeles […]

The Houston Rockets have not seen a third-year leap from athletic shooting guard Jalen Green; to start the 2023-24 season, Green’s scoring numbers have been down, his efficiency metrics have been discouraging, and his overall fit alongside a core of Alperen Sengun and Fred VanVleet appears to be up in the air. In fact, during […]

Man, is it fun to watch Houston Rockets basketball again. Riding high following a 6-1 home stand, the Rockets will travel to Los Angeles and play against the slumping Clippers this Friday in their second game of the in-season tournament. In West Group B, the Rockets will look to make it 2-0 in group play. […]

The newly retooled Houston Rockets are 6-3 on the young NBA season and turning heads as one of the most exciting and talented young teams in the league. Coach Ime Udoka is helping to shift the perspective of fans on the Rockets in leading them forward despite their youth. The All-Star Game merits of Alperen […]

Ime Udoka has been managing his young core of Houston Rockets players fairly well. A huge addition in terms of veteran leadership on the work was Fred VanVleet. He made guys like Tari Eason, and Jabari Smith Jr. take a big leap in the first few games of the season. But, one high-caliber player has […]

With a chance to go above .500 for the first time in two years and nine months, the Houston Rockets faced no shortage of motivation heading into their Wednesday night matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers. However, head coach Ime Udoka saw it fit to light an even greater fire underneath third-year guard Jalen Green, […]

It’s five games in, and Houston Rockets coach Ime Udoka is already making strides as a leader. Even though it’s a small sample size, it’s safe to declare that Udoka is a much better coach than Stephen Silas due to a more embraced situation. While the Rockets are 2-3 to start the season, the last […]

HOUSTON – Starting the season 0-3 was the least of the Houston Rockets expectations. One of the main reasons why the team hasn’t scratched out a win is due to their bench. Trading away Kevin Porter Jr. due to his domestic assault case, coupled with Tari Eason’s injury, has significantly impacted the second unit, which […]

The Houston Rockets are scheduled to take on Orlando in the Magic Kingdom on October 25, tipping off the 2023-2024 NBA season in Florida. It should be an exciting one for the Rockets regardless of their finish, as the team is loaded with young talent as well as controversial defensive stalwart Dillon Brooks, who arrived […]

The Houston Rockets enter the 2023-24 NBA season with one of the more intriguing rosters in the league. The Rockets added several veterans such as Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, Jeff Green, and Jock Landale in the offseason to complement a crop of young talent that includes Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, and this year’s No. 4 […]