Rockets fans are reaching wrong Ime Udoka conclusion after playoff collapse

The end of the 2026 season is similar to the end of Houston’s 2025 campaign. Both seasons resulted in a first-round loss to a more experienced team: the Lakers this year and the Warriors last season. Despite the similar result, the feeling around the two losses could not be more different.

Last year, Houston finished a remarkable regular season as the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. Despite that success, the Rockets were underdogs in the first round against the No. 7 seed Warriors. Golden State had a massive experience edge, but Houston still pushed its experienced opponent to a thrilling seven-game series.

This year was different. Going up against a Lakers team without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves to start the series, Houston was a giant favorite. Then the Rockets dealt with injuries to Kevin Durant, watched their offense fall apart, and totally collapsed.

Given that playoff disappointment, many fans and media members are calling for head coach Ime Udoka’s job. Those people are forgetting everything Udoka has given this team.

Udoka deserves one more chance

Let me be clear: Houston’s offense is a problem. That is not just because of the team’s lack of shooting, either. A huge share of responsibility rests on the coaching staff. For a head coach who prides himself on holding others accountable, Udoka has not taken enough accountability for the team’s offensive shortcomings.

Despite the lackluster offense, Udoka has done wonders for this team. In the three seasons before Udoka became the bench boss, Houston averaged 19.7 wins per season. In the three seasons since, the Rockets have averaged 48.3 wins.

That astronomical increase is partly due to developing young talent and bringing in proven veterans, but the culture Udoka helped create from day one should not be discounted.

The Rockets have become known for their physical, defense-first identity. Establishing a culture as strong as Houston’s is difficult. Udoka deserves credit for that.

We have not seen the core at full strength

Fred VanVleet missed the entire season with a knee injury. Houston never found a rotation-level point guard to replace him. That is not Udoka’s fault. That falls on the front office.

Midway through the year, Houston was striking fear into opponents because of its historic offensive rebounding. Then its best offensive rebounder, Steven Adams, suffered a season-ending injury. That is not Udoka’s fault, either.

Finally, just before the playoffs, Durant suffered an injury that kept him out of Game 1. He recovered enough to play Game 2, then got injured again and missed the rest of the series. Houston’s offense collapsed without him.

Udoka is not blameless. He should not have played Durant such heavy minutes during the regular season, and he should have shown more offensive creativity when the Rockets’ half-court offense started to break down.

But Durant’s injuries came at the worst possible time, and Houston was never able to show what its full core could look like in the postseason.

Ime Udoka is far from a perfect coach, but he built a physical, defense-first identity in Boston and led that team to a Finals appearance. He has built that same identity in Houston.

Rockets fans should not judge Udoka off a season marred by injuries. Let’s see what a healthy core can accomplish before letting go of a coach who still has the potential to be elite.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow