Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka addressed his team’s shooting woes following Saturday night’s 110-104 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. “We struggled to score…specifically there we didn’t get the stops we did the rest of the game,” Udoka said, referring to the 32-9 run that gave Dallas an early lead in the second quarter.
Despite the loss, Udoka praised the commitment and defensive intensity of his players. “It wasn’t a wasted effort at all tonight… the scrambling, fighting, effort was there,” he said, noting that Houston generated 26 more shot attempts and 17 offensive rebounds while committing just nine turnovers.
Udoka highlighted the transition defense as a major weakness. “The area that really hurt us is the transition defense… they had 21 points there, mainly based on good and bad points,” he explained, highlighting the impact of mistakes on the team’s performance.
The Rockets shooting was another challenge, with the team making just 38% of its field goals and 24% from three-point range. “It’s tough when you’re shooting 38% and 24 from three… unless you’re perfect on defense,” Udoka said, underscoring the importance of execution on both sides.
Udoka also singled out Dallas guard Max Christie for his impact. “He had a big one… he attacked our guys and just blew by,” Udoka said. He added that Christie, along with Brandon Williams, “really gave him the spark,” noting that some shots are acceptable, but the aggressiveness was costly.
Houston’s roster was short, 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 formations… they got the advantage especially at the start of the second,” he said.
Kevin Durant led the Rockets with 34 points, while Amen Thompson scored 20 points and 12 rebounds, and Tari Eason added 19 points and 10 boards. Despite individual efforts, Udoka recognized the need for defensive precision. “You have to be perfect defensively if you’re going to shoot that bad,” he said.
The Rockets (21-12) will look to rebound at home against the Phoenix Suns on Monday, while the Mavericks (13-23) begin a three-game road trip in Sacramento on Tuesday.
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