The Houston Rockets are 43-29 and sixth in the Western Conference, but you would never know it based on vibes.
On Monday night, the Rockets lost 132-124 to the Chicago Bulls, and Rockets head coach Ime Udoka was ejected right before the final buzzer. Afterward, Udoka called the referees “a soft crew” and didn’t hold back in critiquing his players for “disrespect[ing] the game.”
That was just the appetizer for Wednesday night.
The Rockets started overtime on a 13-0 run to go up 108-95 on the Minnesota Timberwolves. What should have been smooth sailing for the final three minutes turned into the biggest overtime comeback in NBA history. The Wolves, without injured star Anthony Edwards, finished OT on a 15-0 run to win 110-108.
During the collapse, fans aired their grievances on X (formerly Twitter).
Several users flooded the app, saying Udoka needed to be fired, as seen here. The Ringer boss Bill Simmons, noted Boston Celtics fan, chimed in with, “Prediction: Ime Udoka won’t win Coach of the Year.” Harsh, but fair assessment. A user named Ryan Lucas replied, “Will he even be a coach at the end of the year, is the question?” Another fan changed his username to “Fire Ime Udoka.”
"We acted like it was over,” Udoka said after the loss. “We got up and relaxed. Turnovers, missed coverages, everything that you could do to let them back in.” When asked if this loss will haunt the Rockets, Udoka said, “A lot have this year. That’s just the worst one of them.”
Despite appearances, the Rockets’ season is not over. Houston has 10 regular-season games remaining before the playoffs begin on April 18. The Rockets will have a shot at revenge when they host Minnesota on April 10.
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