One Area Ime Udoka Excelled at and One Area That Needs Improvement

Ime Udoka has done a good job leading the Houston Rockets from rebuild to competitive team but there is also still room for improvement.

Apr 18, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka reacts against the Los Angeles Lakers in the first half during game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

From the moment the Houston Rockets traded their franchise player, James Harden, they knew it would be a tough few seasons in terms of wins and losses. The Rockets leaned heavily into their rebuild, winning only 59 games from 2021 to 2023.

That netted the Rockets seven top-20 picks over those three years, but as the 59 games suggest, not a alot of wins. The Rockets' front office was content knowing that, eventually, they would move on from the rebuild and focus more on winning than on development.

That year was 2024, as the Rockets were ready to move on from the lottery every season and become a more competitive team. The Rockets brought in more veteran leadership, starting with Dillon Brooks and Fred VanVleet, but the most important move was the new head coach.

Ime Udoka was hired after leading the Boston Celtics to an NBA Finals appearance, but he was let go in 2023 due to team violations after only one season. The Rockets performed their due diligence on the entire situation and decided he was the person they wanted to lead the franchise into a new era.

The improvement was immediate: the Rockets improved by an NBA-best 19 wins in 2024, made the playoffs for the first time since 2020, and the next season won 52 games. 2025-26 was supposed to be the season the Rockets took the next step from good young team to contender with the addition of Kevin Durant, but injuries, outside distractions, and at times questionable coaching decisions led to the Rockets' season ending exactly as it did the previous season, with a first-round loss.

In the next entry of my series on the areas where the Rockets excelled and the areas they still need to improve in, I write about where Ime Udoka excelled and where he struggled.

Where Ime Udoka Excelled, and Where Udoka Still Needs to Improve

The Rockets were able to match last year's total of 52 wins, even with injuries and at times outside distractions. That is where Udoka excelled throughout the season. Despite the many obstacles, he was able to keep the team together, where they could have easily folded.

Players all season spoke about how Udoka is a no-nonsense coach who can be hard on players, but at the same time will fight for his players. That is why players like VanVleet, Brooks, Steven Adams, and, of course, Durant wanted to play for the Rockets.

Yes, Udoka excels as a defensive first coach, which is evident by the Rockets being one of the best defensive teams, especially the last two seasons, but it is an art to be able to keep a team together and not fracture when you are dealing with major injuries and issues like the alleged Kevin Durant burner account.

Even though the Rockets have not reached the level they want to get to, they are still in a much better place than they were just a few short years ago. Players want to play for Udoka, and the team is respected around the NBA.

However, the 52 wins and another first-round loss are not what the Rockets were expecting this season. With Durant on the team, the Rockets were expecting to compete for a championship. Yes, injuries and inconsistent play both played major roles in the Rockets' disappointing end to the season, but coaching at times was also an issue.

For as good as Udoka is at defensive game plans and motivating players,, he still struggles with rotations, especially in-game adjustments. At times during games when the Rockets seem to have control, when the opposing team makes adjustments like going to a zone or switching defensive game plans on certain players, the Rockets are slow to counter.

During the season, the Rockets lost multiple late-game leads because they didn't make the proper fourth-quarter adjustments as opposing teams changed their game plans, and they were slow to respond, leading to some bad losses.

That was defintely the case in the Rockets' first-round loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, as the Rockets' offense looked confused at times, as the Lakers were able to exploit the Rockets' lack of an offensive plan. The injury to Durant, of course, was a factor, but that goes to the Rockets not being able to adjust when the initial game plan isn't working.

Just like the Rockets' young core, there were good moments and achievements in the 2025-26 season. The Rockets did win 52 games, which is nothing to take for granted, but like the young core, Udoka still has to improve next season if the Rockets want to compete for a championship.