Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka refuses to reveal details of an on-court conversation he had with Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James that resulted in both fouls and Udoka’s eventual ejection.
Los Angeles won 107-97, and with 8:35 left in the fourth quarter, Lakers forward Cam Reddish passed by Rockets forward Tari Eason, and the mood between the two teams turned sour. Somewhat nervous. During a pause in play, Udoka and James began chatting on the sidelines, saying whatever required another whistle. Since this was Udoka’s second technical, he was sent back to the locker room.
In the postgame press conference, Udoka said he had only spoken to James but that the referees “didn’t like what they heard.”
James quipped that he and Udoka repeatedly talked about “how much we enjoyed Thanksgiving.”
Udoka discussed the game as a whole, with the Rockets leading after the first quarter but trailing 35-14 in the second quarter and throwing thinly veiled shots at Los Angeles.
“It’s not a good sign to be punked by a team that’s not known for their physicality or punk people,” he said.
The coach specifically mentioned the Rockets’ defense against Anthony Davis, which he believes is something the team lacks. Davis scored 27 points, leading all scorers, and grabbed 14 rebounds, including 6 rebounds.
Houston and Los Angeles will face off for the final time in the regular season on January 29. With any luck, James and Udoka might be able to talk about their rankings in the new year.