There’s by no means a boring second when the Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors sq. off. And Recreation 2 of their first-round playoff sequence proved that once more. However this time, the drama didn’t simply come from what occurred on the courtroom.
A video of Rockets head coach Ime Udoka caught throughout a timeout has gone viral and followers suppose he was throwing shade on the refs. The clip’s stirring up loads of dialog, and never simply due to what he stated.
HC Ime Udoka’s Sideline Message Sparks Debate
The now-viral video reveals Houston’s head coach speaking to his gamers throughout a timeout in Wednesday evening’s Recreation 2. Udoka’s message wasn’t precisely delicate.
“Preserve taking part in into the contact. Don’t fear, they aren’t gonna name something…. Don’t get caught up in there,” he informed his staff.
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— Na Na
(@Nanamaxamed) April 24, 2025
Some followers imagine Udoka’s phrases have been extra than simply in-game motivation. To them, it was a transparent jab at how the Warriors have seemingly confronted the brunt of dangerous officiating for years. Whether or not or not Udoka meant it that method, the timing of the message and the uncooked supply acquired everybody’s consideration.
Golden State entered Recreation 2 up 1-0 within the sequence, however couldn’t maintain off the Rockets this time. Houston took full benefit of the Warriors’ damage troubles and sluggish offense to win 109-94, tying the sequence 1-1. The stat sheet highlighted the distinction: the Rockets outrebounded the Warriors 47 to 33, shot 80% from the free-throw line in comparison with Golden State’s 61.1%, and turned the ball over fewer instances.
Whether or not or not Udoka was hinting at biased officiating, his staff clearly got here out with bodily vitality and it paid off.
Rockets’ Physicality Attracts Hearth from NBA Analyst
Whereas Udoka’s feedback lit up social media, the Rockets’ bodily model of play acquired its personal share of criticism, particularly after Jimmy Butler left the sport early.
Butler suffered a pelvis contusion within the first quarter after a scary fall. Rockets’ Amen Thompson went up for a missed floater however ended up undercutting Butler mid-air as he was boxed out by Draymond Inexperienced. Butler fell exhausting and didn’t return, ending with simply three factors in eight minutes.
That incident solely fueled criticism from NBC Sports activities analyst Natalie Esquire. In a submit on X, previously referred to as Twitter, she didn’t maintain again.
“At any time when groups lack talent, they all the time wanna get tremendous bodily. Clown present over there in Houston,” Esquire tweeted.
She appeared to recommend that the Rockets have been attempting to make up for a scarcity of finesse by ramping up the physicality. That perspective matches proper into the controversy sparked by Udoka’s assertion— he was merely encouraging his staff to play via contact whereas implying that the refs have been letting the Warriors take the brunt of the officiating as soon as once more?
Regardless of the fact is, the stress is certainly constructing. Recreation 3 is ready for Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET in San Francisco. With the sequence tied and tempers flaring, it’s shaping as much as be a heated showdown.
