The Matt Thomas Show with Ross - Ime Udoka On Rockets' 3-Game Losing Streak: 'All These Back-To-Backs Have Added Up'

Episode Date: March 5, 2025

The Rockets are currently on a three-game losing streak following Tuesday's 115-102 loss to the Indiana Pacers. Alperen Sengun scored 25 points, while Jalen Green recorded 12 points and five turnovers. "We need more playmaking out of [Green]," head coach Ime Udoka said. The loss to the Pacers was the second of a back-to-back as the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Rockets 137-128 on Monday. Houston was without Sengun, Amen Thompson, Dillon Brooks, Fred VanVleet and Tari Eason in that contest. "All these back-to-backs have added up," Udoka said. The Rockets have the most games by a team on no rest this season, with 15 games. "Until you prove yourself in the league, you'll get a favorable schedule eventually." The Rockets will look to get back into the win column when they face the Pelicans in New Orleans on Thursday.

Ime Adoka with us here. Coach, this is our third city in three days. I don't know if you were restless last night, irritated, slept well. How are you feeling right now? Is this team takes, I guess, a well-deserved off day? Yeah, ready to get back after tomorrow. You know, try to write the ship here and get back on the winning side. Yeah, get everybody healthy eventually and start to play the way we're capable of. Let's go back to the Monday game.

Look, I was a different lineup out there. the team was very competitive. Look, Oklahoma City is amazing basketball team. We've seen them many, many times so far. You had guys like Shepard and Whitmore getting a lot of playing time. Was it strange addressing the guys before the game, knowing that so many guys needed to sit out, needed to rest, and you had to, you know, look in the world of NBA we're in today,

when you're playing as many games in a shorter period time and all the back-to-backs, you've got guys with aches and pains that need to heal up, rest up. What was it like getting those guys that were not normal rotation guys? in the focus of, oh, by the way, A, playing and B, doing it against maybe the best team in the Western Conference right now. Yeah, I mean, it was obviously different, a great experience for them and for us to get a look at guys. Like you said, all these back-to-backs have kind of added up, and then guys have some bumps and bruises, as well as I'm sick as being out with the ankle. And very important nights at this stage, with all the back-to-back, it's been a little tough on us.

But you have to get the opportunity experience. The message was go out and get a win, be competitive, and take advantage of an opportunity. So they did that, played extremely hard, extremely well. Obviously, Gildes Alexander got it going and hurt us as far as that, but we had our chances and obviously, okay, C's a really good team, but it would be a good experience for our guys going forward. Second half, your team defensively did a much better job against the Pacers last night. This, the ball couldn't drop. And then one number for me that probably irritated you as much as anything else, it certainly did me,

calling the game was the percentage of points in the paint. You got there a bunch, just weren't able to finish. Was that an aggravating part of watching the squad last night? Yeah, at the same point, given up 67.5, that's obviously way too high. We got back to guarding, like we were capable of, put some zone in and took a rhythm a little bit there, but needed some more scoring. Obviously, didn't treat them all extremely well, 9 for 30 from 3 and 13 for 26 from the free-thole-line.

So when you're getting the stops and you, you know, make your way back to a 17-point. to take a lead late, you know, you want to capitalize on that. And to your point, missed a lot of easy baskets, you know, a little putback layups. I think it was four or five of them. We didn't get the lead in the chance to stand there. So, frustrating part of the that we put back into it, that we couldn't shoot better from three free throws and on those putbacks.

One of the things, we've been seeing the last couple games, we like the way that Jalen Green's been playing, especially when he's been scoring, but the careless turnovers have been cropping up for him a little bit. What do you chalk that up to? Is it some fatigue? Is it just plain carelessness? And what are your conversations with him about those?

Yeah, we need more playmaking out of him, especially with Fred and some of our little guards out and guys that miss some games. So the onus is on him to obviously handle a little bit more. Initiate offense, get guys into sets, but also look to score and be aggressive like he always is. And so just the careless ones are the main thing. It's, you know, travelers are going to happen or, you know, a tough shot here and there. But the simple ones that are unforced are the ones that really hurt us. obviously had a few of those last night.

I think Alpe had four and he had five. And so a lot of them just playing in the crowd and just keeping, you know, we sat against OKC, you know, hit singles. Make the simple play when the crowd is there, get off the ball. And we'll get those wide open looks. And so, yeah, just continue to grow in that area. He's done a great job, obviously adding to his game over the year and a half that I've been here and need him to continue that, especially with Fred out.

What have you seen from Reed Shepard? Of course, we know the big breakout game and then last night. Yeah, up and downs that the young guy is going to have at times. It's good to get that experience for him out there. Up and down, working here with the opportunity and our depth and, you know, different linels we were having out there. But want him to be aggressive, stay confident and take advantage of those other things. So obviously a really good game against OKC, is a really good defensive team.

And last night had some open looks that he missed, you know, he missed a few fritos as well, which is uncommon for him. And I add it to our free throw woes. but, yeah, learning experience for him, continue to grow, be confident, aggressive at all the times, and use this year to really kind of put your stamp on the NBA and learn as we go. You know, I've talked to you a few times about all these three games

in four nights and back-to-backs. It feels like I know the NBA has made a try to at least concern an effort to have less of them. Do you as a coach's group, as a coach association, get to visit with commissioner or somebody at the scheduling level to say, hey, can we space some people? things out. I know you're fighting with buildings that are hockey and concerts

and whatnot. Is that even an item of conversation on a yearly basis? Or do you know, because look, hell, you've been in the NBA between a coach and a player for 20 years. I mean, it is what it is, and you just got to play through it. Yeah, at some point or the other, everybody hits that stretch in their season where

you have a lot of back-to-backs or a lot of games piled up, and we're in that right now with all the back-to-backs before I'll start break it coming out. And so, you just have to deal with it. You know, some teams have more than us. I think we do have the highest amount of back-to-backs this year. But as I said before, until you prove yourself in the league, you'll get a favorable schedule eventually. And so you've got to continue to build what we're trying to do here.

But at the same time, play for our team the second youngest team in the league, we have good depth. And other than some unfortunate injuries, we relied on that depth this year to get us to where we're at. We'll let you go on this, Coach. Tar, Eason, you've been not playing him in back-to-backs, and that may not be a situation that's going to, you know, we don't know how long that's going to be, but when he plays, he's full throttle. What is it like for him, you as a coach, watching him on the next day? Do you wake up, do you check on him, do the training staff do the same kind of thing? Does he even, you know, check his own body to say, hey, I feel a lot better today than I did a week ago

when I played in my 35 minutes. And what is it like for you to see him get as many minutes as he is? And then as your medical team says, we need to take a step back, and it would not be smart to him playing in the second half of those back-to-backs. I think he's kind of improved the point where he's feeling better after 50 minutes. We've got any restriction at all. Just can't play in the back-to-backs. And part of his being conscious to me a smart big picture before.

We only have two back-to-backs left in season. So I want to be smart with that and look at the big picture. And so he's feeling better. He's increased workload hasn't hurt him in all. And eventually maybe one of the last back-to-back can possibly get in there against Phoenix and L.A. later. But we'll wait to go on that and want to be smart. Like I said, big picture and not have any set.

back going into the playoffs. And what do you know about Fred in terms of his ankle situation right now? Is it a re-aggravation? Is it just an awkward step that forces some more time? I mean, look, you're not a doctor, but I'm just, you know, a lot of folks are asking me about Fred and his availability for the next foreseeable,

for the foreseeable future here. Yes, literally, in the day-day and game, the unfortunate thing. I don't have to step on the rest of the first play of the game, but it has to be the same ankle, but not the same. It didn't aggravate the same area that kept them out all that time. So this is a normalis brain. Just obviously I was some sortness to the foot that was already a little bit injured.

But good thing is that it didn't hurt the same area. Just a matter against some swelling out and get the mobility back. But it should be a short term. And obviously, not as long as the last one did. Coach, thank you for the visit. As always, we'll see you tomorrow night against the Pelicans. Thank you. All right, it's Amy Adoka, joining us from New Orleans.

And he may be at the aquarium, Ross. You never know. Maybe he's getting a swim in or something. I don't know. Maybe he's in the, yeah, one of the submarines at the World War II Museum.