Ime Udoka reveals secret behind breaking Houston Rockets 15-game skid against Warriors

Rockets HC Ime Udoka rained praise on his team's defense after securing a 91-90 victory over the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Cup.

Ime Udoka reveals secret behind breaking Houston Rockets 15-game skid against Warriors

Ime Udoka dished on tactics after ending 15-game losing streak to Warriors

The Houston Rockets finally ended a 15-game losing streak against the Golden State Warriors in a dramatic NBA Cup quarterfinal clash on Wednesday night. With a nail-biting 91-90 victory, the Rockets booked their spot in the semifinals. Rockets HC Ime Udoka credited his team’s defense for the hard-fought win, especially pointing to their resilience in the face of adversity.

This victory, though, was no easy task. The Warriors were minutes away from extending their historic streak to 16 games. However, the Rockets clawed back from a six-point deficit in the final minute to steal the game, thanks to clutch free throws and some questionable officiating. Just a week after ripping apart his team’s ‘humiliating’ effort against the Dubs, Ime Udoka took great pride in praising their defense.

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We’re gonna continue to fight and not give up. Got stops when we needed to, hit big shots when we needed to. Got on the floor, loose balls, created that foul… As I’ve said before, you can always rely on your defense when the shots aren’t falling… That’s a recipe for success on the defensive end, for sure.

Ime Udoka said

Udoka is a stickler for defensive fundamentals. The Rockets forced the Warriors into 8 shot-clock violations and scored 30 points off 22 turnovers. Keeping the Warriors, a top-five defensive team, off the free-throw line was another key element of their game plan. Houston only allowed 9 trips to the charity stripe, showcasing their defensive discipline (and, of course, the ‘questionable officiating’).

The Rockets’ defensive efforts are no fluke. They currently boast the second-best defense in the league, trailing only the Oklahoma City Thunder, their semifinal opponent. Ime Udoka’s strategy relies heavily on forcing mistakes from opposing teams and capitalizing on transition opportunities due to their own shooting woes, a formula that proved successful against the Warriors.

Charles Barkley does not believe in Ime Udoka and the Rockets

Despite their milestone victory, the Rockets faced some heavy skepticism from Hall of Famer and TNT analyst Charles Barkley. The Chuckster does not shy away from providing some tough love to young and old NBA teams alike. On Wednesday, he questioned the ‘prime time readiness’ of the young Rockets, led by Ime Udoka.

They don’t have any idea how to play basketball. They play the game strictly on talent…They got a great record, they’re not ready for prime time… They relevant, they got a terrific coach, now they got to learn, like, ‘we got to take care of the ball, we got to stop taking bad shots.

Charles Barkley said on Inside the NBA

Charles Barkley’s comments pointed to the Rockets’ lack of discipline, particularly in their half-court offense. They boast a putrid 112.2 offensive rating, which in itself, is heavily inflated by their top-5 transition offense in the league. However, this is part of Ime Udoka’s strategy as the Rockets coach has been vocal about his team’s focus on getting up and down the court with their gritty defense.

With the semifinal matchup against the Thunder looming, the Rockets will look to continue their momentum. The NBA Cup’s single-game knockout system leaves any outcome up to the imagination, giving the upstart Rockets a chance against the West-leading Thunder. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, with the winner advancing to the final to face either the Milwaukee Bucks or Atlanta Hawks.