Stephen A. Smith Unveils Mastermind Behind Rockets’ Revival as They Close In on Warriors’ Play-In Quest
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Stephen A. Smith, the outspoken NBA analyst reveals the driving force behind the Houston Rockets’ recent success as they get closer to the seemingly listless Golden State Warriors. Amongst other things, Smith talks about ex-Boston Celtics coach and now-Rockets coach, Ime Udoka, and his stand behind his team. Smith puts it succinctly, “The Rockets are coming… Remember I said that.”
In the latest episode of the ‘Stephen A. Smith Show’ on YouTube, Smith highlighted the rise of the Rockets this season, “Now look at Houston Rockets. They won eight straight, they’re a 500 team and by the way, so ya’ll know in the month of March the Houston Rockets are 10 and one. They lead the NBA in offensive efficiency with 121 and a half points per 100 possessions. Defensive efficiency they’re third in the NBA only behind the New Orleans Pelicans and the Sacramento Kings. They’re second in the NBA to the Pelicans in net rating. Outscoring the opponents by 11 points per 100 possessions… the rockets are coming and it’s because of Ime Udoka.”
The seasoned analyst acknowledges Udoka’s reign in the Boston Celtics and how he took the team to the NBA Finals in year one when Brad Steven couldn’t do it in 7. Ime Udoka did it in year one before he was very publicly suspended on account of an inappropriate consensual affair he had with a female Celtics staff member back in 2023. Returning this season, Udoka has indeed worked his magic.
Rockets Blast Off, Udoka Repeats Mid-Season Turnaround Magic
The Houston Rockets are on fire, and rising star Jalen Green is the fuel powered by Coach Udoka. After a shaky start, they emerged victorious over the Portland Trail Blazers 110-92 on Monday, extending their win streak to an insane nine games. This victory puts Houston in a hot 11-1 streak for March, the best record in the entire NBA currently. They’re breathing down the necks of the Golden State Warriors (36-34) for the 10th seed in the Western Conference, the final play-in spot that could launch them into the 2024 playoffs in a mad turn of events. They hadn’t seen the winning side of .500 since way back in January, and this 9-game streak is their longest in over 5 years.
Since returning from the All-Star break, the Rockets have been a whole different team. They have the league’s fifth-best post-break record (11-5), which includes an eight-game winning streak following their 147-119 victory over the Utah Jazz on Saturday.
Coach Ime Udoka’s decision to stick with what works has paid off big time for key players. Following his 41-point performance against the Jazz, Green has averaged 24.4 points on impressive shooting splits (.465/.400/.823) over the past 16 games.
Rockets Jabari Smith Jr. recently stated, “It goes to show that he knows what works… He knows that playing hard works. He has a coaching style that he believes in, and we believe in it as well.”
This mid-season surge feels similar to Udoka’s success during his lone season while he was at the Boston Celtics. They started the 2021-22 season with a disappointing 16-21 record under Udoka. But he refused to give up and implemented in-season adjustments that revamped the team. The turnaround was dramatic, with the Celtics finishing the regular season 33-10. They ultimately reached the NBA Finals, falling to the Golden State Warriors in six games. Today, it’s the Rockets’ time to shine, and their next target is the OKC Thunder.
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Shivatmika Manvi