The Matt Thomas Show with Ross - Ime Udoka Reflects on Tough Loss vs 76ers

Episode Date: January 23, 2026

Ime Udoka Reflects on Tough Loss vs 76ers 

You know, a lot of folks have asked Ross on the postgame show last night about Reed Shepard about the way he got you out in the fourth quarter did not play in the overtime. It felt like to me what you were answered in the postgame was that there were some defensive things that were a part of the entire package. Would that be the best way to explain why you went with, say, Jabari and Tari in the extra time? Yeah, I mean, we have some coverage things that we wanted to do with Embed and different guys, Max C, of course. and part of the game they were really hurting us with their pick and roll downhill you know read not being one of our better defenders but it's a balance you have to figure out what you need to do

whether you want to try to get stops or try to outscore somebody and we're with a bigger lineup with the more size out there you know look you and joel are very tight and he had a triple double yesterday I know he's been battling injuries the last couple of years is it little not necessarily bizarre and you look you've got friends wrong in the league but for a guy that you developed a relationship with, you want him personally have success.

You just don't want him to have it at the expense of the team at your coaching. Yeah, you're happy to see him back out there and being able to start playing through some of the things he's gone through. But at the same time, you know the ways to try to mitigate some of the success. And I don't think we did that for the most far last night. You know, reaching him fouling much too much. He's averages nine free throws a game. I think we're reaching four times to give him eight.

and then just not taking up enough of the space. Some of what we did to Wem & Yama, you want to take up the space, be aggressive there, and then make it put it on the floor, and I think we gave him too many comfortable shots multiple times. But it has been nice, and I think every team dreams of this, eBay, that you have a guy that can be that microwave, like Vinny Johnson was back in the day in terms of coming off the bench and providing points, and it has been a second straight game

that reads Jumpshot has certainly helped you guys get back into ball games. Oh, yeah, definitely. He's becoming more consistent. Across the board, we understand what he does when he's, when he's scoring at that clip and how it elevates our team. I think it gives us a total different look from my men and Kevin and some of those guys are in pick and roll. And it's great to see him continue to grow as far as that.

Trying to help him be more well-rounded in general, but love the progress that he's showing. Rocket Tech coach, IMA Addocha, was here on a Sports Talk 790. And just kind of earlier to the read thing and the lineups that you choose, What is that like for you as a coach as far as the process of, you know, guys can be cold all game, but then in clutch time they can start hitting shots and vice versa. What are the things that you're looking for when it comes to clutch time lineups and then overtime lineups? Regardless of any point of the game, it's really consistency.

You know, we understand what certain guys are going to give up their strengths and weaknesses and try to help them develop as far as their weaknesses. And so across the board, we want to be able to. I want guys to be well-rounded, understanding other guys. Some guys have more of a skill fit than others, but we want other guys to grow in those areas as well. And so we've got a good deep team, a lot of versatility as far as that. And when one guy is not making shots or not defending at the level,

we feel we can know it's multiple different lineups. Once we get Tari, Dorian, and those guys off of a minute restrictions, it'll be a little bit easier to not have to mix and mats much. But I think that'll bode well for us going forward with all the different people we can get out there and play. Obviously, free throws were part of the issue last night as well. I mean, what, if anything, can be done throughout the season or long term? And we've seen him in Thompson make a big leap in his free throw shooting.

And we've seen some guys just be up and down. Yeah, I mean, it really comes down to confidence and repetition. It feels like early in the season we were shooting them very well. Lately it haven't been as well. But you have to stick with their routine. And, you know, we sign. tax with guys to get up a certain number per day and we have to stick with that and I think

you've seen direct results from that throughout training camp and early in the season with the numbers we are shooting, the percentages that we're shooting and so for us it's continue with your reps and then stay confident through that. If you're a guy that handles the ball or gets a bunch of touches, you're going to get the free

the line more and you've got to knock those down and convert at a higher level. Can you help me out with what happened last night? Obviously the ball with the Durant block and then there was a loose possessive. I thought if you grabbed it, you called the time out, there was going to be time for you to have a shot. Did you get any clarity about why the clock was at 0.1 before the game ultimately went to overtime? I think they said Tari didn't have full possession of it, which I saw him dribbling up, so I tried to call a timeout and get us a last shot there.

But I guess they went back and looked or consulted with each other and said he didn't have full possession. like he was still in the process of grabbing it. So that's a definition I got. And you're not satisfied with that, are you? He's like to get the last shot and give yourself a chance there, but still a great defensive play, and we had our chances in overtime as well. Yeah, for sure.

You may doke with us for a few minutes here on the program. Kevin last night, 36.7 rebounds. And like a true pro, the one number that he looked at when he was talking in the media after the game last night in Philadelphia was the turnover numbers. Kevin's never been a low turnover guy, but when he's so fluid on the offensive side, that's just part of the game. Have you noticed that he does spend a little bit of time talking about the negatives when he was just such a huge part of this team's offense last night? I think it's just his mindset and mentality is trying to be perfect out there, and you're scoring that much.

And like I said, you do have 21 points off of turnovers in a tight game like that. you're going to look at yourself and see that aid is too many. And so whether it's just being not predetermining what you want to do or being strong with the ball, understanding use the focal point teams are going to go after them. And he has to be stronger with it. But the other guys have to sprint for spacing and get your outlets as well. And so I always say we should invite double teams and have those numbers and pick it apart. And the first part is getting the pass out of there and give us a chance to do that.

big matchup just from record wise and measuring stick wise with the Detroit Pistons night and going into the game you know that it's going to be physical you know that these two teams have you know had some tension before in the season is that anything any special messages like everybody keep their cool out there or I know we know you like this type of knockdown drag out game that it could be tonight no it's be who you are and you know we both I think both teams welcome that But, you know, you understand what their strengths are. They have a really good player in Cunningham, and they are second in an offensive rebound behind us. So since there's going to be a battle as far as that, you know, one of our guys being down with Steve and other guys have to step up and make up that difference. And, yeah, we're two physical teams that enjoy that side of the ball.

And so, yeah, you always say keep your cool or whatever, but I think be who you are and two teams will be ready to battle out as far as that. Last thing for you may, we just passed the 42 game mark. so we're a little bit past the halfway point of the season. What did you love in the first 41, and what do you want to see differently in the next 41? You know, overall, you know, when you look at the standings and, you know, we're in fourth place in the West right now

and haven't played our best basketball by any means lately, that's a good sign for us because we know we can take it to another level. Numbers overall being a fourth defense, or third in defense, and then fifth in offense, you're hitting some of those benchmarks, and then I think we're third and overall. all net rating. So numbers don't always coincide with our closing of games. I think that's the biggest thing with us. We've been really good at times and even games we haven't shot that well or played that well defensively. We're still in those games. It's just a matter of closing now.

We're going to have to zero in on that second half of the season to really get to where we want to be.