Ime Udoka is once again proving himself as an excellent head coach, but the Houston Rockets, despite their great start, still have some things to define.
Injuries are significantly shaping the standings this NBA season. This is true for both conferences. After a great start, the Phoenix Suns went from a 9-2 record to 9-6. Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal, and Jusuf Nurkic are currently injured, which has immediately impacted the team’s performance.
The Oklahoma City Thunder hold the top spot in the West despite the absence of their starting center, Chet Holmgren, who won’t return to the court anytime soon. Meanwhile, the Denver Nuggets, without Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon, have dropped to a 8-5 record.
The New Orleans Pelicans are in the worst position, as Brandon Ingram is currently their only available starter. The Sacramento Kings are without Domantas Sabonis, while the Memphis Grizzlies are missing Ja Morant. It’s also worth mentioning that the San Antonio Spurs are without Gregg Popovich due to health issues, and the unfortunate situation with Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers is well known.
Behind it all stands a former student of Gregg Popovich – Ime Udoka
That brings us to the Houston Rockets. This intriguing and talented young team is playing great basketball this season, and it’s hard to find anyone who expected them to be in third place in such a competitive Western Conference after 15 games.
With a 10-5 record, the Houston Rockets currently hold the sixth-best record in the NBA, and behind it all stands a former student of Gregg Popovich—Ime Udoka. Udoka is the man who, in his rookie season as an NBA head coach, led a young Boston Celtics team to a 2-1 lead in the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors.
Although the Celtics ultimately lost the series 4-2, the future looked incredibly bright for the team. If not for Udoka’s off-court issues, which led to the termination of his contract, it’s very possible that he would now be an NBA champion instead of Joe Mazzulla.
Those Boston Celtics turned things around after the All-Star break. Despite a lackluster 34-26 record up to that point, they finished the regular season with a 17-5 run, ending at 51-31 and securing the second seed in the Eastern Conference. In the Round 1 of the playoffs, they swept “those” Brooklyn Nets featuring Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. 4-0. For the first time in my years following Kevin Durant’s career, I saw him completely neutralized in a one-on-one matchup.
Ime Udoka essentially “discovered” Tatum’s defensive potential
Jayson Tatum, who until then wasn’t widely regarded as a great defender, played masterful defense against Kevin Durant. While Durant still averaged a 26.3 points per game, he shot a dismal 38% from the field and 33% from three-point range—well below his usual efficiency. He also recorded a career-worst 5.3 turnovers per game in that series. Ime Udoka essentially “discovered” Tatum’s defensive potential.
At just 24 years old, Tatum played 24 playoff games that season, averaging 25.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 1.2 steals while shooting 42% from the field, 39% from three, and 80% from the free-throw line. He excelled in every facet of the game.
Jaylen Brown also shined in that playoff run, averaging 23.1 points and 6.9 rebounds on an efficient 47% shooting from the field. However, many would argue that the X-factor for that Celtics team was veteran Al Horford. As the ultimate glue guy, Horford bridged the perimeter and interior, spacing the floor with his shooting, enhancing the offense with his playmaking, and providing strong rim protection to balance the team’s defense and offense. He averaged 12.0 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.3 blocks while shooting an impressive 52% from the field and 48% from three-point range.
We’ve already mentioned the Celtics’ granite defense that season, leading the NBA with a defensive rating of 106.9. This season, the Houston Rockets rank third with a defensive rating of 105.8. Udoka’s imprint on the team is evident. Especially considering that last season he was just getting acquainted with this very young squad, whereas in Boston he inherited an already well-established hierarchy.
Peyton Watson with the game-saving redemption block on Shai! pic.twitter.com/1ax4FhLzna https://t.co/XDbShIuyAC
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Udoka wants a “baby Horford,” not a “baby Jokic”
The question of hierarchy remains a key issue that Udoka is still addressing on the fly. After last season, it seemed Alperen Sengun was poised to become the undisputed face of the franchise. However, while his numbers are slightly down, they are still impressive. Last season, the young Turkish superstar averaged 21.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.2 steals on 53% shooting. This season, he’s putting up 17.5 points, 11.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.0 steal, and 1.4 blocks per game.
His shooting percentages remain modest for a center. 46% from the field, 28% from three, and 75% from the free-throw line. However, it’s notable that he’s averaging just 2.1 turnovers per game despite a high usage rate (26.0). These numbers reveal that Udoka has prioritized improving Sengun’s defensive impact this season. He is far more active on the defensive boards and as a rim protector, which aligns with what Udoka values most.
It’s clear Sengun’s ceiling is significantly higher than Al Horford’s. Udoka’s system-oriented approach doesn’t allow for any one player to stand out too much. Instead, he is molding Sengun into a two-way player with winning habits—someone reliable on both ends of the floor. Udoka wants a “baby Horford,” not a “baby Jokic.” Sengun’s offensive talent is undeniable and will always be there, but Udoka understands this team is in the building phase. This season is about instilling structured habits, gaining playoff experience, and learning how to win.
That brings us to Jalen Green. There was much speculation about whether one of the two (Sengun or Green) should be traded, but Udoka surprised everyone by making Green the primary option to start this season (27.3 usage rate). Green is averaging 19.7 points, but his shooting percentages remain poor (39% from the field, 32% from three). He hasn’t stood out as a solid playmaker or defender, yet Udoka continues to trust him.
This team has bright future
Many have compared them to the Jamal Murray–Nikola Jokic duo, given how Green and Sengun’s skillsets align with Denver’s stars. Green is a legitimate secondary scoring option. Sengun is a versatile big man who is nearly unstoppable in the post, with added dimensions to his game thanks to his passing and developing outside shot.
Defense remains their primary strength, highlighted by the proven Dillon Brooks and the outstanding Jabari Smith Jr. Both excel at guarding on-ball players. Fred VanVleet, with his championship pedigree, provides much-needed experience and shooting to the Rockets’ starting lineup.
Interestingly, none of the players in their starting five shoot above 46% from the field. On top of that, they rank just 28th in the NBA in three-point shooting percentage (32.8%) and are 27th in made threes per game (11.7).
Despite an inefficient starting lineup, the absence of a clear leader, and a significant lack of three-point shooting, the Rockets are third in the Western Conference. This success comes with minimal team-oriented play, as they rank just 27th in the NBA in assists per game. While this can partly be attributed to the numerous injuries across the NBA that have disrupted competition, Udoka doesn’t seem too concerned with excuses. This team has bright future.
Ime Udoka has a clear goal this season
Ime Udoka has a clear goal this season. He wants to establish a defensive identity for this team, instill winning habits, and, in the coming years, use draft picks and trades to bring in experienced shooters and veterans. This team will be built around Alperen Sengun, but the “baby Jokic,” as he’s often called, won’t have the same role Jokic enjoys with the Nuggets.
The future of the Houston Rockets looks bright. They boast a young and talented roster, a player with All-NBA potential eager to spend the summers working with Houston Rockets legend Hakeem Olajuwon to further develop his game, a head coach who excels at developing young talent, and plenty of options for further upgrades in the years to come.
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