Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka addressed his team’s shooting woes after Saturday night’s 110-104 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. “We struggled to score… specifically there, we didn’t get the stops that we did the rest of the game,” Udoka said, referencing the 32-9 run that gave Dallas an early second-quarter edge.
Despite the loss, Udoka praised his players’ effort and defensive intensity. “It wasn’t an effort lost tonight at all… the scrambling, fighting, effort was there,” he said, noting that Houston generated 26 more shot attempts and 17 offensive rebounds while committing only nine turnovers.
Udoka highlighted transition defense as a key weakness. “The area that really hurt us is transition defense… they had 21 points there, especially off of makes and misses,” he explained, emphasizing the impact of lapses on the team’s performance.
Rockets’ shooting was another challenge, with the team connecting on just 38% of field goals and 24% from three-point range. “It’s tough when you shoot 38% and 24 from three… unless you’re perfect on defense,” Udoka said, underlining the importance of execution on both ends.
Udoka also singled out Dallas guard Max Christie for his impact. “He had a big one… attacking our guys and just kind of blowing by,” Udoka said. He added that Christie, along with Brandon Williams, “really gave him the spark,” and noted that some shots are acceptable, but the aggressiveness was costly.
Houston’s roster was shorthanded, with Alperen Sengun leaving after 1:04 due to a sprained right ankle and Steven Adams missing his second consecutive game. Udoka said different lineups contributed to the team’s challenges. “We obviously had some different lineups out there… they got the advantage at the start of the second specifically,” he said.
Kevin Durant led the Rockets with 34 points, while Amen Thompson posted 20 points and 12 rebounds, and Tari Eason added 19 points and 10 boards. Despite the individual efforts, Udoka acknowledged the need for defensive precision. “Got to be perfect defensively if you’re going to shoot that poorly,” he said.
The Rockets (21-12) will look to rebound at home against the Phoenix Suns on Monday, while the Mavericks (13-23) start a three-game road trip Tuesday at Sacramento.
