of houston rockets The start of the 2024-25 season was one of the NBA's nicest surprises, but their winning ways ended Tuesday night against the struggling Sacramento Kings. Rockets head coach Ime Udoka was ejected along with star center Alperen Sengun late in the fourth quarter, leading to one of the best verbal abuses of the year.
The frustration of the physical battle spilled over into the final stages, as Udoka was given a double technical foul with less than two minutes remaining. Udoka barked at the referee as he left the court, but he really showed his worth in the pressure conference after the game.
What did Udoka say to the referee on his way home? “Just buy some fucking glasses and open your eyes.”
“Obvious missed calls. Ticking screens and all that nonsense. They told me to put my glasses on and open my eyes.” -Ime Udoka pic.twitter.com/SZJJ3bWYPK
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) December 4, 2024
Udoka thought Sengun had been fouled on the previous play, but the referee made no call. In fact, the Rockets shot one more free throw than the Kings that night, but Houston believed the referees had been beaten inside all night without blowing the whistle.
Let's take a look at Udoka's sending off at the end of the game.
Let's take a look at how Ime Udoka was sent off along with Alperin Sengun. This volatile game ends with Mike Brown coming off the bench and a frustrated Rockets team losing to the Kings tonight. pic.twitter.com/uFcmDTnylR
— Sean Cunningham (@SeanCunningham) December 4, 2024
The Rockets had won 10 of their last 12 games. Despite the loss, Houston advanced to the NBA Cup quarterfinals, where they will host the tournament. golden state warriors to travel to Las Vegas for the semifinals.
It felt like a playoff game between the Rockets and Kings in early December. You have to respect the cup.
