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Rockets’ Ime Udoka gets brutally honest on ‘horrendous mistakes’ vs. Lakers in Game 3
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- Rockets’ Ime Udoka gets brutally honest on ‘horrendous mistakes’ vs. Lakers in Game 3
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The Houston Rockets were 30 seconds away from making this a series. Instead, they find themselves staring into the abyss of a 3-0 deficit against the Los Angeles Lakers . Following a soul-crushing 112-108 overtime loss on Friday night, head coach Ime Udoka didn’t mince words about his team’s execution, or lack thereof.
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Houston held a six-point lead with just half a minute remaining in regulation. Then, the wheels fell off. Between missed free throws, defensive lapses, and a cold-blooded step-back three-pointer from LeBron James , the Rockets gift-wrapped an extra five minutes for a Lakers team playing without stars Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves .
“Horrendous mistakes,” Udoka told reporters postgame. “I don’t know if you want to say youth or scared of the moment.”
That blunt assessment highlights a recurring theme for this Houston core. Despite a monster effort from Alperen Sengun , who finished with 33 points and 16 rebounds, the Rockets’ secondary stars faltered when the lights got brightest. Rookie Reed Sheppard struggled with late-game ball security, and Jabari Smith Jr. missed critical assignments that allowed the Lakers to hang around just long enough to strike.
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Meanwhile, the 41-year-old James feasted on the chaos . James logged 45 minutes, racking up 29 points, 13 rebounds, and six assists. He orchestrated the comeback with the poise of a man who has seen every defensive coverage in existence, ultimately pushing the Rockets to the brink of elimination.
The stats tell a story of two different mindsets. While the Rockets outshot the Lakers for much of the night, they committed 17 turnovers, several of which occurred during that final 30-second meltdown. Now, Houston faces the impossible task of winning four straight against a veteran-led squad . If they want to avoid a sweep in Game 4, they’ll have to prove Udoka wrong and show they aren’t “scared of the moment” after all.
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