Ime Udoka emphasized his team’s aggressive mentality following Houston’s Game 2 win over Golden State, stating, “If it gets chippy, that works in our favor for the most part.”
The Rockets bounced back from a poor offensive outing in Game 1 by holding the Warriors to 94 points while showing greater composure and defensive intensity.
Speaking postgame, Udoka praised Jalen Green’s impact on both ends of the floor: “He bounced back on both ends, obviously aggressive offensively, physical defensively, and that’s what you’re going to need against these guys.”
Houston relied heavily on its defensive identity, a trait Udoka believes has been embedded throughout the regular season.
“That’s our identity for the most part. From the start of the playoffs, we don’t have to flip a switch and try to get tougher. That’s kind of what we built everything on,” Udoka said.
The second-year head coach credited his players for responding to Game 1’s struggles by staying aggressive while eliminating costly mistakes.
“We guarded well enough last game… Today is 94, really in the 80s with some late buckets they had, but that carried over well,” he said.
Udoka also underlined the importance of maintaining composure when the Warriors attempted a second-half run.
“At that point, you’re up 20… we just got to calm it down and be deliberate with what you’re trying to get,” he explained. “Didn’t lose our composure. Got chippy at the end as well… but did what we did all game and made the right read.”
Alperen Sengun’s presence on both ends was also highlighted, as Udoka called him a “matchup problem” and praised his composure and versatility.
“He calms us down in the post… playmaking, rebounding obviously at a high level, but guarding wings on the perimeter. So, hell of a job by him,” Udoka said.
When asked about the absence of Jimmy Butler and how it impacted their strategy, Udoka noted, “You could key in on Curry a little bit more… We got aggressive with him, went after him and tried to make some other guys beat us, and it worked for us.”
Udoka dismissed criticism regarding the team’s ability to close games, noting the Rockets have done it “every which way this year.”
“We can do it by committee… They make the right play, they draw the crowd… We figured out all year different ways,” he said.
As the series intensifies, Udoka remains confident in the Rockets’ identity and toughness.
“You can’t expect it on one end and cry about it on the other end… That works in our favor for the most part, gets us amped up,” he concluded.
