Former D’Tigers player Ime Udoka has led the Houston Rockets to their first playoff appearance since the 2019-20 season, following a dominant 143-105 victory over the Utah Jazz to secure their 50th campaign win.
Seven Rockets players scored in double figures, with Jalen Green leading the charge with 22 points. Dillon Brooks added 21, while Alperen Şengün, Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason, and Reed Sheppard each contributed 15 points in the emphatic win.
Udoka, who took over as head coach last season, narrowly missed a play-in spot after finishing 11th with a 41-41 record. His first year marked a significant improvement from Stephen Silas’ final season, where the team finished 22-60.
Now, the Rockets sit second in the Western Conference and are the second team from the West to clinch a playoff berth, following the Oklahoma City Thunder. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, Memphis Grizzlies, and LA Clippers are all battling for spots in the top six.
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Reacting to the playoff-clinching moment, Udoka emphasized that the achievement was expected given their progress from last season:
“It feels good to be back in the playoffs, and for the guys who haven’t been here before, it’s an accomplishment. But this was always our expectation, building off last year. I don’t think anybody is overly excited—we just did what we needed to do,” Udoka said after the win over the Utah Jazz.
We’re in a good position now; we just need to maintain it. That’s the focus. We have five games left, and it’s a tight race.”*
Guard Jalen Green credited Udoka for transforming the franchise and instilling a winning mentality:
“Talent-wise, we’ve always had it, but he was the head of the snake—coming in and bringing the dog out of us. He built a culture, got guys to play hard, and really changed everything for us. He’s helped us a lot.”
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