Ime Udoka RIPPED Houston Rockets players for keeping years of Warriors humiliation alive

Rockets HC Ime Udoka ripped into his players' performance after suffering a humiliating 15th straight loss to Warriors without Steph Curry.

Ime Udoka RIPPED Houston Rockets players for keeping years of Warriors humiliation alive

Ime Udoka calls out team after disappointing loss to Warriors

The Houston Rockets found themselves on the receiving end of a scathing critique from their head coach, Ime Udoka, after their loss to a severely undermanned Golden State Warriors team. Despite the Warriors being without their stars Steph Curry and Draymond Green and riding a five-game losing streak, the Rockets failed to capitalize.

The Rockets extended their head-to-head losing streak against the Warriors to 15 games after Thursday night. The buildup to Udoka’s criticism stemmed from the Rockets’ inability to sustain the level of intensity and discipline that had earned them a respectable start to the season. Ime Udoka did not hold back, venting his frustration post-game.

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All the things we’ve done to get a decent record have gone out of the window these last couple of games. A few guys really didn’t look like they showed up til after halftime…One of our softest games since I’ve been here for sure.

Ime Udoka told reporters postgame

On Thursday night, Udoka’s Rockets allowed Jonathan Kuminga to dominate with a career-best performance of 33 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists, delivering a devastating blow to Houston. Udoka’s choice of words was meant to trigger some form of resolve within the team after their ‘charmin soft’ performance. The game was an indictment of his team’s mental and physical resolve.

The Rockets’ energy and focus, hallmarks of their early-season success, appeared nonexistent against a Warriors squad relying on role players to scrape by. Their loss was especially disappointing after coming off an absolute dogfight in New Orleans, which saw Ime Udoka and multiple other players ejected following an in-game scrap between players, fans and officials.

Ime Udoka punished by NBA after Pelicans brawl

As tensions mounted over recent losses, the Rockets faced additional scrutiny when the NBA announced penalties following their game against the Sacramento Kings. During the match, Udoka and several players exhibited behavior that led to hefty fines. Late in the game, Udoka was ejected for a heated confrontation with an official after a questionable call involving center Alperen Sengun.

Following the game, Udoka went on another one of his fiery rants, this time defending his team instead of flaming their effort. He dug into the officials for the end-of-game tussles, which led to the scramble.

Blatant missed calls. Ticky-tack moving screens and little shit like that. Told ’em get some fucking glasses open your eyes.

Ime Udoka told reporters

The fallout was costly. Udoka received a $50,000 fine for his outburst and failure to promptly leave the court, while Sengun and teammate Tari Eason were fined $15,000 and $35,000, respectively, for their actions. The fines came after frustration built up during a physical battle between the Pelicans and Rockets, which finally triggered the Rockets after a number of questionable foul calls.