DISASTER: Rockets BLOW 18-Point Lead Due To Kevin Durant’s TURNOVERS & Ime Udoka’s Coaching MISTAKES
DISASTER: Rockets BLOW 18-Point Lead Due To Kevin Durant’s TURNOVERS & Ime Udoka’s Coaching MISTAKES
Houston Rockets suffer another fourth-quarter collapse, blowing an 18-point lead to the New York Knicks. Is head coach Ime Udoka’s decision-making costing the team valuable wins and playoff positioning?
Host Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) breaks down the Rockets’ 108-106 loss, examining Kevin Durant’s rough shooting night, Alperen Şengün’s turnover woes, and the ongoing issue of Reed Sheppard’s limited minutes. Insights include the Rockets’ stagnant half-court offense, Udoka’s lineup choices, and the disconnect between coaching and front office strategy. Key stats highlight defensive lapses, inefficient shot selection, and the lack of composure in crunch time. With championship expectations in jeopardy, will Udoka’s defensive emphasis and reluctance to empower Reed Sheppard keep the team stuck in neutral?
Tune in for a critical look at Houston Rockets basketball and the pressing questions that could shape the rest of the season.
#Rockets #NBA #KevinDurant
📺 Subscribe On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LockedOnRockets
📲 Twitter: https://twitter.com/JTGatlin & https://twitter.com/LockedOnRockets
📲 Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/jtgatlin.bsky.social
🎧 Follow/Subscribe/Listen:
Locked On Rockets Anywhere: https://linktr.ee/LockedOnRockets
Locked On NBA Anywhere: https://linktr.ee/LockedOnNBA
For your next listen, check out the Locked On NBA podcast, where the season never ends providing national expertise with a local perspective. Click HERE to listen now. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your Team. Every Day.
Everydayer Club – If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans.
Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub
Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!
Turbo Tax – For a limited time, you can have your taxes done by a local TurboTax expert for just $150 — all in, if a TurboTax expert didn’t file for you last year. Just file by February 28. Take taxes off your plate and get back to your life.Visit https://TurboTax.com/local to book your appointment today.
DoorDash – From tipoff to overtime, stay in your bag and order on DoorDash.
Get snacks, drinks, gear — whatever gets you through the season — delivered right to your door.
DoorDash. In your bag all season long.
PrizePicks – Download the PrizePicks app today and use code LOCKEDONNFL to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup.
Click Here: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/LOCKEDONNBA
5-Hour ENERGY – Have your cake & drink it too. Birthday cake-flavor is back, no fork needed. Vanilla-y cakey flavor, caffeinated kick, and no sugar. It’s party time. Order Now at 5-hourENERGY.com or Amazon.
Indeed – Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast
Gametime – Today’s episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply.
FanDuel – Use your Profit Boost on an NBA future and get entered for your chance to win a trip to the NBA Finals.
Play your game with FanDuel, the official sports betting partner of the NBA. Visit https://FANDUEL.COM to get started.
FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)
#HoustonRockets #Rockets #NBA #KevinDurant #AlperenSengun #AmenThompson #JabariSmithJr #TariEason #ReedSheppard #FredVanVleet #DorianFinneySmith #StevenAdams #AaronHoliday #JaeSeanTate #JeffGreen #ClintCapela #JoshOkogie
26 Comments
Whoa whoa whoa. I was at the game last night in MSG!! they were up the end of the 3rd BIG when KD sat, as usual, I took a piss when he sat, I came back and the lead was 6! That’s when KD came back. Clock management and TOs down the stretch lost them the game. That’s what a PG and coaching is for. This ain’t on KD
We cannot bring back Udoka next season. The NBA has passed him by. We need a modern NBA head coach. If Rafael Stone doesn't have the stones to fire him, then get Vince McMahon to do it.
There’s a reason why the Celtics went from good to better after Udoka.
Ime is trending toward Tom Thibideaux trerritory. At the very least, Stone should bring in an offensive coach (Mike Malone) in the offseason.
No its not a shame to keep Alpi out in the 4th quarter. Because all he does is throw his hand in the air expecting a foul everytime after throwing up garbage! And just like Durant they both turn the ball over at the wrong time at alarming rate! Same scene different game! Its to the point to where im watching the game and im already shaking my head, knowing they are fixing to turn the ball over Smh!
Our young players don't enjoy the game anymore, last year they were having fun.
Can anyone guess why?
As a Rockets fan please don’t disrespect Payton Pritchard 🤣
Dude, KD is the superstar of the team. Who has the most turnover in the Knicks game, KD or Senguin? I think you should play for the team, who knows you might get them to the championship. Apology for your stupidity, you highlighted 1 superstar in your team as the main reason why they lost. So stupid 😂😂😂
When your stars are out of the game, that's when you can tell what kind of offense the coach has the team running. The Rockets team lacks playmakers, this puts more pressure on the coach to run a good offense. Ime has been questionable in this area. Which begs the question, why aren't they pushing the pace to generate easier looks. This would ease the pressure of having to execute in the half court all the time. Get out and run.
Alpi please trade to Boston Celtics or Dallas Mavericks
Wrong JT… This falls SQUARELY on the shoulders of Rafael Stone! Houston NEVER should have traded Brooks and Green for KD. It's now the Rockets show of one, not the fight of many! Just remember what happened to OKC, the Nets and the Suns (GS had a winning team without him). Looks familiar to me.
Why wouldn’t you cater to a head coach look at San Antonio look for example they built something more than just a team for a few season they built a culture. Im not saying Ime is perfect no one is but damn the Rockets roster isn’t the best put together get with 2 non shooter then they go and draft a tiny shooter who can’t play defense.
Let me guess. In Ime's post game conference, he said the team lacked toughness tonight. Broken record.
Durant pulled the pin on the grenade when that burner account was exposed. Dude is a team killer
Why is Steven Adams the only player on the team that can set a pick? I've never seen a team so inept at setting a good pick. That's coaching. I hate to say but I am over Udoka and his staff. Someone has to see that basic fundamentals are seriously lacking on this team.
This was the rawest I have seen Jackson. He’s right,Ime fumbled the ball.
I’m so fucking over this coaching team. What a fucking joke of a franchise. We need to get rid of Ime & our GM
This Franchise needs a wake up
and u guys still 3/4 seed so iys a good thing, just find a real PG
First things first. Stone's draft picks have not hit.
Jalen is great at regular season and fastbreak dunks and streaky 3ball, hes not reliable stopper on D, he cant think the game at all. He needs to be spoon fed everything and doesnt have a killer instinct.
Sengun is a poor mans jokic. Hes okay but predictable now. Teams are hunting for his passing and his spin and post up games. Hes not a huge liabilty but great players add things to their game he obviously has hit his ceiling.
Tari is holdimg his all put for another team and more money. Hes pretty much phoning it in. Hes not getting blocks, steals, rebounds and dunks like usual so hes not quite panning out.
Reed is a liabilty on defense only if hes got a quick twitchy long guard on him. Hes young and will be better on offense when hes 27 problem is we cant really wait. Hes been pur best pick save Alp so far.
Cam whitmore cared only about cam whitmore and was not allowing IMe to do Ime so he was the kind to say to hell with you and your offense bc it doesnt work. He was released as soon as hebmost likely came to ime with that type of energy.
Amen cant dribble playmake or shoot. If he could learn at least one of those exceptionally well. He would be awesome but hes really a liabilty on offense except for rebs. He scores reasonably well from fts and dunks but he cant even hit a middy. So hes a big reason teams just zone us to death.
Finally Jabari who cant dribble or playmake either however you cant teach 6'11 and he rebounds, defends, and shoots fairly well.
If youre looking at a team like the spurs. All but one of their picks panned out. Except for j primo all of their picks are future all stars. Especially D harp and castle. Add to that the god that is wemby and thats a nasty teams with champengi and fox backing it up they are contenders and are on a great timeline.
Now Ime couldnt coach offense if Dantoni, Pop, Kerr, and Spoel were his assistants. Its that bad. Its so bad its not even ime udoka anymore. Its Ego Uchoka now. Theres not enough room in the ciry for Imes huge rep and Ego. I say go and get Mark Jackson like I said before Ime was here. Now that we know the biggest problems are the picks and coaching themsleves. It can only lead to the best we can do given the circumstances.
Obviously we would need to put the rockets in a position to maximize all our shortcomings. Thats means NO ONE is allowed to bring the ball up and set up the offense other than Reed, Holiday, or if were absolutely pressed ALp. They are the only ones who can protect the ball and handle well enough not to make shitty decisions and dribble the damn ball off their big ass feet. Kd isnt OKC Kd anymore hes slow, lanky, and old. He needs to be the release valve for this team not the switch. Meaning as reed brings up the ball Sengun set a screen and as reed dribbles past hit sengun on the roll and as sengun is about to charge someone Kd shakes his man and the slick no look to KD results in a easy money baseline jimmy. Thats how KD needs to be used as a release valve. So does Jabari. Meaning they need to rely on one two dribble pullup and fades and spot up threes.
Now Amen will benefit from all that reed Kd and Sengun goings on that people leave him and forget hes lethal within 8 ft of the basket.
Tari Okogie and everyone else needs to rely on defensive 24s, ball pokes, steals, blocks, and just pure hustle to create turnover pts.
That means the primary lineup right now that were injured and missing fred terribly should be Reed at 1, Amen at 2, KD at 3, Bari at 4, Sengun at 5. That shpuld honestly be your starters. Giving you scoring and a bit of defense in Amen and Bari. Also reed is a disruptor. He cant stay in front of fast twitchy guys but he always goes for the ball with quick hands and usully gets 2 turnovers a game for points. We desparately need reed, KD, and Bari on the court for spacing so that Amen can operate in space if needed. Also I would love to see off ball action between Bari and sengun and KD while reed and Amen are working the steong side or any combination of the former. It will confuse defenses to where they cant just sit back in a tight zone protecting the paint and daring the rockets to shoot threes. Every single teams hunts us like that now. They all keep one foot in and one foot out the paint and crowd the cup because they know all but Reed are going to try and go in there or at least a jimmy. Every team has the flyer on us. Thats part of the reason we look so soggy. We keep Isoing isoing and isoing some more with one screen and then a forced up shoot. We cant keep doing that. We need to get some motion and some weak side actions to generate confusion and mismatches that will turn into easy money pocket change. So thats my five and then off my bench well have holiday, Capela, okogie, and tari. Thats it for now. No one else needs to touch the court. Leave it like that and take the good with the bad. If they struggle get in the gym amd practice the offense until everyone knows it in their sleep. I swear it will be a different team if Ego Uchoka would at least bring in Mark Jackson, or a competent offensive minded coach.
ın clutch position, KD gifted the game; amen is alone under rim but KD didn’t gave pass him but shot and blocked and knicks had a fast break basket!
KD gave 4 point advantage to Knicks at clutch time because of being selfish in that clutch play that could change the momentum!
And KD is not at 20s! He is most experienced player in team he shouldn’t do that kind of mistakes and also shouldn’t criticize his young team mates but support mentır them to be better!
They should trade KD! Get average shooters, guard like alvaros and a coach that can design offense! Most predictable offense in the league that made KD and Alpi locked because opponent knows that if they take out KD and Alpi there will be nothing from others!
Just out of curiosity, why does Reed Sheppard literally never bring the ball down court and initiate the offense. Am I missing something ?
Rockets wasted a golden opportunity. They were gifted today as lakers, wolves and nuggets lose today. I guess every team will have this kind of games. But yah, this team doesn't really have an offensive identity. Idk anymore
Why is sengun always out in the 4th that’s been killing us all season if he played in the 4th qt we’d have a top 3 record 🤦🏻♂️
The “Twitchy Switchy” line up….😂
Tired of Ime’s defensive line ups, and constant sub in/outs at the end of games. Destroys the rhythm and confidence of the players.
BTW, What was wrong with KD and the Suns?