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Rockets reloaded: How a shift in philosophy just spawned something big
Dec 14, 2023, 1:00 pm
The new-look Rockets are turning heads. Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images.
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Head coach Ime Udoka didn’t exactly have big shoes to fill taking over the Rockets reins this season. The Rockets were coming off three seasons of complete and utter despair, finishing with records of 17-55, 20-62 and 22-60, the worst era in Rockets history. Fans noticed and stayed away from Toyota Center in droves. Season ticket holders were selling their seats for pennies on the dollar – literally the change under your sofa’s cushions.
Stephen Silas, Rockets coach those three seasons, now has the dubious distinction of the worst won-loss record (59-177) of any coach in NBA history with more than 200 games on the bench.
Forgetting the past, what Ime Udoka has done this year with the previously underachieving Rockets has been overwhelming. After Wednesday night's wire-to-wire victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, the Rockets stand at 12-9 and knocking on the postseason door.
Playoffs? Yes, playoffs!.
The Rockets record is light years ahead of pre-season predictions – ESPN had them down for 29-53 this year. Still the record is wonky and upside-down. The upside is their 11-1 mark at home, practically unbeatable at Toyota Center. The downside is their 1-8 mark on the road. I know, weird.
While their won-loss record may be upside-down, Udoka has turned the Rockets inside-out. If a team reflects its coach’s personality, then the Rockets are tough, no-nonsense, in-your-face beasts.
Last year, for the few thousand fans who showed up, it was disheartening to watch Coach Silas sitting placidly on the bench while the Rockets lost game after game, then walking over smiling to congratulate the other team’s winning coach. The Rockets mirrored their coach’s personality. To put it mildly, the Rockets played mildly. Soft.
That ain’t the Rockets this season. You see Udoka scowling on the bench when the Rockets are trailing. While Silas looked like the good-natured father in a Hallmark Network holiday movie, Udoka is the Grinch trying to steal a Rockets win.
Udoka knows all about scrapping. During his playing career, he took the floor for teams like the Fargo-Moorhead Beez, Independiente, North Charleston Lowgators, Adirondack Wildcats, Fort Worth Flyers and UCAM Murcia. He also made brief appearances with the Lakers, Knicks, Trailblazers, Kings and Spurs. He knows you’ve got to fight every minute of your basketball life. Now the Rockets know.
Like Tom Petty, the Udoka-led Rockets won’t back down. They’re 3-1, including their lone road win, over the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets. And if a heralded Rocket isn’t playing up to Udoka’s expectation, Udoka has no problem sitting him on the bench the entire fourth quarter, like he’s done to star shooting guard Jalen Green – more than once.
Udoka doesn’t care who the opponent is, he’s not putting up with any nonsense. Earlier this month, Udoka thought that LeBron James was complaining too much about ticky-tack contact. Udoka unleashed an NSFW rant on the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, called him the B-word and all but challenging James to a fistfight.
The exchange reportedly went something like:
Udoka: “Y’all gotta stop crying like b-----s, man. Stop b------g.”
James: “We’re all grown men. Nah, that b---h word ain’t cool. Don’t use it so loosely.”
Udoka: “Yeah, I said it. What are you going to do about what I said? Walking over here like you’re going to do something. Soft ass boy.”
Apparently “soft ass boy” is higher on the profanity corporate chart than the b-word. Referee J.T. Orr hit Udoka with his second technical foul of the game and excused him for the evening.
Udoka later explained, “We want a competitive group, which we do have. I talked to the guys about not taking a backseat to anyone. Opponents, as well as teammates and certain guys. We have certain guys who would address it, but we want everyone to be that guy.”
How much do you love our coach getting in LeBron James’ face and daring King James, “What are you going to do about what I said?”
Just as important as winning, well almost, the Rockets are putting an entertaining, aggressive, fun product on the floor, and fans are responding by coming to games.
This is Ime Udoka basketball and this could be the start of something big.
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The Houston Astros didn’t just sweep the defending champs this weekend, they changed the tone of their season.
Dominant pitching. Star power. Road swagger. The three-game dismantling of the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chavez Ravine wasn’t about revenge or validation. It was about showing, once and for all, that this version of the Astros, short-handed and all, belongs squarely in the conversation with baseball’s elite.
A statement series
The Astros pitching staff was lights out against one of the most dangerous lineups in baseball, holding the Dodgers to just six runs across three games, including two contests where LA managed just a single run. Lance McCullers Jr., much-maligned after getting shelled by the Cubs last week, bounced back in a big way. He worked around four walks, giving up just one run on a solo homer, a much-needed course correction as the Astros evaluate their playoff rotation options.
On the offensive side, the stars delivered in a big way. Jose Altuve torched Dodgers pitching with three home runs, seven RBIs, two walks, and just one strikeout. Christian Walker matched him with six hits of his own, including a pair of long balls and six RBIs.
A shift in expectations?
This wasn’t just a series win. This was a proof of concept.
Houston came into the series already heating up, now they’re officially on fire. Over the last 30 days, the Astros rank third in runs and fifth in RBIs. For the season, they’re top 10 in nearly every key offensive category: eighth in OPS, first in batting average, ninth in slugging. Defensively, the numbers are just as strong. They lead MLB in strikeouts and opponents’ batting average, and rank second in WHIP.
Put it all together, and you’ve got a team with top-five upside in both pitching and offense. The pieces are clicking. The vibes are real. And the Astros suddenly look like a legitimate World Series contender again.
Is help on the way?
Reliever Hector Neris rejoined the team this week, offering a veteran boost to a bullpen that’s been leaned on heavily. Neris brings postseason pedigree and a reputation as a clubhouse leader. The Astros hope a return to familiar surroundings, and the guidance of one of the best pitching development staffs in the league, can get him back on track.
Tayler Scott returns on a minor league deal, and while the move may not turn heads, it adds another layer of depth to a bullpen that’s already one of the league’s best.
Background noise in LA
No Astros-Dodgers series goes by without a little extra noise and this one was no different. During the broadcast, former Cy Young winner and Dodgers analyst Orel Hershiser raised eyebrows by implying that Houston’s offensive surge might not have been entirely on the level.
Predictable? Absolutely. Meaningful? Not even close.
If anything, it’s a weird kind of compliment. No one questions legitimacy when you’re losing. But after a lopsided 18-1 beat down people start reaching for answers, or excuses.
Inside the Astros clubhouse, though, that chatter doesn’t register.
They know exactly what this sweep meant. And so does the rest of the league.
There's so much more to get to! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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