Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka spoke candidly after his team’s 95-85 loss to the Golden State Warriors in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series. Despite holding Golden State to just 95 points, Udoka acknowledged that his team’s offensive struggles were the deciding factor in the defeat.
“We only scored 85 points,” Udoka said. “It’s not a great offensive night, and the numbers show that. We shot 6-for-29 from three, 11-for-20 from the free-throw line, and committed 17 turnovers. Those turnovers led to 25 points for them. Our defense was good enough to win, but our offense just couldn’t keep up.”
One of the bright spots for Houston was Alperen Sengun, who contributed 26 points and 9 rebounds in his playoff debut. However, Udoka noted that the team’s backcourt, including Fred VanVleet and Jalen Green, struggled to find their rhythm. The two combined to shoot just 7-for-34 from the field, including a dismal 2-for-17 from three-point range.
“I think Jalen played in the crowd a little bit too much,” Udoka explained. “He’s got to find his outlets when the defense loads up. It’s going to be a key throughout the series.”
Udoka also highlighted the importance of Steven Adams, who played 20 minutes off the bench and provided crucial second-chance opportunities. Despite the struggles on offense, Adams’ effort helped the Rockets dominate the glass, pulling down 12 rebounds.
“Steven did what he does—getting extra possessions,” Udoka said. “We had some wide-open shots we missed off those kickouts. We shot 39% from the field, but Steven was a bright spot, doing the dirty work.”
The Rockets also had their chances late in the game, cutting the Warriors’ lead to just four points with 2:32 left in the fourth quarter. However, Stephen Curry hit a timely three-pointer to extend the lead, and Moses Moody followed with another clutch triple, helping the Warriors close out the win.
When asked about the Warriors’ offensive performance, Udoka acknowledged the challenge of defending Curry, who finished with 31 points on 12-of-19 shooting. “He hit some big shots to stem the tide,” Udoka said. “We did a decent job guarding him, but when he’s hitting shots like that, it changes the dynamic.”
Looking ahead to Game 2, Udoka remains optimistic. “We had our chances tonight. We’ve got to clean up the turnovers, improve our spacing, and shoot the ball better,” he said. “The defense was there, and we’ll need to carry that into the next game.”
