Following the game, Udoka pointed out several areas for improvement that clearly fall under a coach’s responsibility: “We saw more of the same issues – a lack of physicality, toughness. We didn’t play well enough to deserve the win. It seemed like the basketball gods were not on our side in the end.”
On the other hand, Nets player Keon Johnson acknowledged Udoka’s role in motivating his team, especially after the coach labeled Brooklyn as a “low-level team”: “Everyone took it personally because we show up every day to compete… When you read something like that, it adds fuel to the fire.”
After this defeat, the Rockets have lost four consecutive games and now hold a 32-18 record, placing them third in the competitive Western Conference. Yet, they are just five games ahead of the 27-23 Minnesota Timberwolves, who are vying for the first play-in spot in the West.
