It took one quarter for Ime Udoka to reveal his master plan

In just one quarter in the regular season opener for the Houston Rockets, it became abundantly clear what Ime Udoka intends to do with this team: go big. With the addition of Clint Capela in the offseason to back up the Rockets' starting frontcourt, it seems Houston could be committing to a double-big arrangement that will influence how this team wins basketball games.

Udoka began the night with a lineup featuring Steven Adams and Alperen Sengun on the interior. This mirrors what we saw the Rockets do for much of the preseason, and it hints at what their philosophy could be for this regular season.

This looks to be an idea that will work consistently, given that the pairing of Adams and Sengun saw a significantly positive net rating when they shared the floor in the preseason. And if there was any question that this was the direction Udoka wanted to take, the offseason addition of Capela should have made it painfully clear. Clint's return to this team gives Houston insurance when one of their two starting bigs need a rest, meaning the double-big look isn't some sort of gimmick but rather a sustainable rotation choice. 

Ime Udoka has made his intention to go big clear

In the opening frame of play against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Rockets crashed the glass and took every opportunity to take advantage of their size. At halftime, they held a +4 advantage on the boards against the home team. It's clear that this strategy is going to remain central to Udoka's vision over the course of the regular season. 

You can argue that small ball has already reached its peak in the NBA. Teams are continually leaning back into the more traditional two-big lineups, and Houston is helping lead the charge right now. It's not some kind of insurance plan to turn to once the team is already trailing. Instead, it's foundational for how this Rockets team wants to play from the outset.

Ime Udoka has not made any attempt to hide that this is how he wants his team to play this year. There are still going to be some questions, of course. Spacing issues, stamina for larger players, and how this team consistently handles smaller and quicker lineups are all going to be questions that come into play at some point. But this is the path the Rockets have chosen, and they're clearly sticking to it.