The Houston Rockets suffered a frustrating 120-111 defeat against the Sacramento Kings in the NBA Cup last night. Sacramento’s sharp shooting, including a streak of 15 consecutive baskets in the first half, helped the Kings establish an early lead. They pulled away decisively in the fourth quarter to secure the win.
The drama reached a boiling point with less than two minutes left in the game when Rockets center Alperen Sengun and head coach Ime Udoka were hit with double technicals and ejected for heated complaints about the officiating.
Udoka was visibly enraged, and it took multiple assistant coaches to restrain him as he continued shouting at officials. This marks another chapter in the Rockets’ ongoing frustrations with officiating this season. Guard Fred VanVleet also made waves earlier in the year by voicing his displeasure with the refs and accepting the fine that came with his remarks.
A hard foul by Kings guard De’Aaron Fox sparked three technical fouls and heightened tensions on the court. Udoka’s ejection capped a chaotic sequence that some felt was mishandled by the officiating crew. The Rockets head coach, known for his passionate style, didn’t hold back in his postgame comments.
“Blatant missed calls right in front of you,” Udoka said when asked about his reaction. “You’re calling ticky-tack moving screens and little s*** like that, but you don’t want to call the obvious ones right in front of you. That was it. Alpe [Sengun] got fouled a few times on that drive to the layup, and they don’t want to call it. So get some f****** glasses, open your eyes.”
Udoka’s fiery remarks highlight ongoing criticism of NBA officiating, with many players and coaches expressing concerns that poor calls disrupt the flow and excitement of the game.
This likely won’t be the last time Udoka or another coach voices their concerns about NBA referees this season, especially with emotions running high as the season progresses.
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