"Get punked" - Ime Udoka slyly takes dig at Lakers mentioning Rockets' loss isn't 'good sign'
Ime Udoka was ejected to put the sour cherry on top of the Houston Rockets' 107-97 loss to the LA Lakers on Saturday. Udoka was tossed after he received a second technical foul for jawing back and forth with LeBron James. The two did not divulge what was exchanged in the argument. However, Udoka took some sly shots towards James’ squad postgame.
The beef between the two seemed to spill over into the postgame. The Lakers dominated the Rockets with size. They killed them on the interior and bullied their way to the win. They dominated inside, outscoring the Rockets 54-34 in the paint.
The Rockets stayed winless on the road. Udoka was not too happy about the loss or the style in which they lost.
“To get punked by a team that is not known for physicality or punking people is not a good sign,” Ime Udoka said.
Udoka paused after the subtle shot to let it settle in. He did not mince any words.
However, elsewhere in the news conference, Udoka held back when talking about the little scuffle with James.
“They didn’t like what they heard, the refs,” Udoka said. “It was between me and the player.”
The 21-year-old veteran also did not reveal many details. After the game James had a humorous answer for the details discussed.
“Thanksgiving,” James said. “We talked about how much we enjoyed Thanksgiving.”
The Rockets will have a few days off as the NBA breaks for the In-Season Tournament. They will try to bounce back with a home game against the OKC Thunder on Wednesday.
Ime Udoka and the Rockets lose again on the road
Ime Udoka and the Rockets were on the bad end of the Lakers' frustrations. LA outplayed Houston on both ends of the floor and controlled the pace of the game. The Lakers were efficient from the field shooting 44.9%.
They controlled the game with multiple-big lineups. The Lakers used that size to score more on the interior. Houston outrebounded LA 54-48, so it was not all "punking."
The Rockets bench also fell short. LA’s reserves outscored Houston’s 33-24. Austin Reaves and Max Christie combined for 30 points off the bench.
LeBron James scored 16 points. Anthony Davis paced the team with 27 points and 14 rebounds. They both contributed to the Lakers 29-4 run in the first half to control the game.