Rockets' Ime Udoka wins well-deserved NBA Western Conference Coach of the Month award

The Houston Rockets are thanking their lucky stars for Ime Udoka.

Typically, a coach of his caliber isn't readily available. Let's just say Udoka was on the market for...reasons.

It's a moot point. Udoka was free, and the Rockets hired him in the summer of 2023. It's been a turning point for the organization. Udoka has been instrumental in revolutionizing this team's culture. He's as tough as they come, and the team has taken on his identity.

Now, Udoka is being rewarded for his efforts. He was just named the NBA's Western Conference Coach of the Month for games played in October and November.

Rockets' Ime Udoka earns distinction

It was a well-deserved award. The Rockets had the NBA's best Defensive Rating in November at 102.3. That gave them the league's third-best Net Rating (9.3) despite a pedestrian 111.6 Offensive Rating (21st).

That's been Houston's identity. They've got a platoon of defensive-minded wings who follow Udoka's marching orders. Still, we shouldn't exclusively credit roster construction for Houston's defensive mastery.

Udoka has figured out how to deploy Alperen Sengun. For the first three years of his career, Sengun was seen as a liability. Through his rookie and sophomore campaigns, he played almost exclusively in drop coverage. He wasn't suited to that role. Udoka has Sengun functioning as a roamer, and the results have been tremendous.

He was a beautiful hire. Was he the perfect hire?

Rockets' Udoka has room to improve

Let's circle back to that 11.6 Offensive Rating.

Many fans have observed that the Rockets' offense is underwhelming. Taking a peak under the hood, it's not difficult to diagnose some shortcomings.

The Rockets rank ninth in the NBA in frequency of pick-and-rolls that result in a field goal attempt for the roll man (6.6%). They are 21st in Points Per Possession (PPP) in those plays at 1.01. Why is Udoka hammering home a play that isn't working?

Moreover, what about Sengun screams "roll man"? He's not a vertical threat. Sengun isn't equipped to catch lobs. The Rockets generally find more success when he operates on the low block, or in the high post as a dribble hand-off hub.

Far be it from me to spend any more of this article criticizing Udoka. He's got to iron out some details with this team, but he's still among the best coaches in the NBA. Udoka is a defensive mastermind, and he's a born leader.

He's also your NBA Western Conference Coach of the Month.