Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka faced criticism for his questionable tactics in Game 4 against the Golden State Warriors, leading to a disappointing outcome.
Here's the Rewritten Article:
Houston Rockets are Barely Hanging On in the 2025 NBA Playoffs following a gut-wrenching 109-106 loss against the Golden State Warriors in Game 4 at the Chase Center, San Francisco. The nail-biting finish left fans and analysts questioning the coaching decisions of Ime Udoka.
The Dubs pulled off some crucial buckets in the final moments, including free-throws by Jimmy Butler and clutch defensive plays, while stifling Houston's offensive attempts.
Online, fans didn't hold back their disappointment with Udoka, branding him as a coach who can't seem to defeat the Warriors, no matter the team.
"Ime Udoka's coaching skills consist of losing to the Warriors irrespective of where he's coaching," a social media user weighed in.
Another comment echoed the sentiment: "Udoka has been outsmarted by Kerr in this series and Kerr hasn't done much. That's how bad Ime has been."
Critics point to Udoka's questionable decisions, such as benching veteran center Steven Adams despite his impressive performance, and failing to prevent a late-game shot by Alperen Sengun, who was defended by Draymond Green.
Despite the setbacks, the season isn't over for Udoka and the Rockets yet. They have the opportunity to bounce back in Game 5, scheduled for Wednesday at the Toyota Center in Houston.
Insights:
- Free throw struggles: The Rockets missed a postseason-high 12 of 31 free throws in Game 4, a problem that Udoka failed to address during timeouts or lineup adjustments.
- Clutch-time mishaps: Golden State out-executed Houston in critical moments, with errors being attributed to Udoka's rotations and offensive sets during clutch possessions, as well as his reliance on inexperienced playoff performers. Critics observed Udoka's inability to counter Steve Kerr's adjustments.
- Intense backlash: Online criticism of Udoka intensified postgame, with comments like "Ime Udoka's main coaching skill is losing to the Warriors regardless of where he is coaching" and "Ime Udoka was carried by Joe Mazzulla, Will Hardy, and Jayson Tatum" echoing around. Udoka's blunt postgame message, "Go get a win," didn't seem to ease fans' frustrations about his playoff decision-making.
- Critics of Ime Udoka have questioned his ability to defeat the Golden State Warriors, with the odds seemingly against him, regardless of his team.
- On sports platforms, fans have pointed out Udoka's shortcomings in the playoffs, particularly his decision to bench Steven Adams and his failure to prevent crucial shots, leading to the Rockets' losses.
- Despite the backlash, the Rockets have a chance to turn things around in the NBA playoffs, as they prepare for the decisive Game 5, where they will need to execute better and overcome Udoka's recent criticism.
- The Rockets' performance in the playoffs has been disappointing, with their free-throw struggles and lack of clutch-time execution contributing to their losses, raising bets against their comeback.
- Ime Udoka's postgame message of "Go get a win" might not have been enough to appease fans, who have grown skeptical and critical of his coaching skills in basketball's most competitive setting, the NBA playoffs.
