"Looked like deer in headlights": Ime Udoka claims Rockets were "soft and scared" in key clash vs Warriors
The Houston Rockets hosting the Golden State Warriors was arguably the most anticipated matchup in the NBA on Thursday. A win by Houston would make the race for a top 10 spot in the West and the final Play-In ticket even more exciting. Mired in a two-game losing skid, many expected the Rockets to fight tooth and nail for the win.
The game, although exciting as anticipated, was largely the Bay Area team showing their superiority on both ends of the floor. Golden State’s old reliables, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green showed that they still have the edge over the upstart hosts. Curry and Thompson bombarded the Rockets with 29 points apiece while Green ruined Houston’s plans with his two-way impact.
After the game, Rockets coach Ime Udoka had this to say to reporters:
"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."
Udoka has never been afraid to call out his players if they perform well below expectations. He put Boston Celtics superstars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown on the hot seat during his short-lived stint with the C's. If he could make those comments to more established players, he certainly wouldn’t hold back on his current roster.
While the veteran leaders of the Golden State Warriors seized the opportunity, Udoka’s team was almost afraid to battle. Right off the bat, the visitors were aggressive and took advantage of nearly every miscommunication and error from the hosts. It seemed like the Dubs dared their young counterparts to show them what they could do.
In a pressure cooker of a game, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green showed the Houston Rockets how it’s done. Ime Udoka will be hopeful his young roster learned from a team that has four championships over the last decade.
Jalen Green personifies Ime Udoka’s comments about Rockets
The Houston Rockets closed the gap on the Golden State Warriors behind an impressive stretch of eight straight wins. During that stretch, Jalen Green averaged 30.2 points on 49.9% shooting. In their last three games, which were all losses, those figures dropped to 17.0 ppg and 37.4%. When the stakes went up, Green’s performances went the opposite way.
On Thursday against the Warriors, the high-flying guard didn’t just fail to put the team on his back, he was even hesitant to test Golden State’s defense. Green took just 12 shots, making only four of them and went to the free-throw line twice. Udoka surely noticed this and decided to bench him.
Udoka's comments were directed at the entire team, but Jalen Green has to be on top of the list after his performance.