Rockets Head Coach Ime Udoka Begins Season’s Second Half Without Lineup Change

Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka suggested before the All-Star break following an embarrassing loss to the Memphis Grizzlies that he might switch up the team’s starting lineup. The comments spurred much speculation as observers believed the likely candidate to be pulled from the starting lineup was starting shooting guard Jalen Green, the third-year former second overall pick from 2021. But coming out of the break, Udoka reversed course, telling reporters he would keep things as is.

In explaining his rationale, Udoka cited the team’s injury woes over the past 27 games, stating that starting small forward Dillon Brooks had missed nine games, starting point guard Fred VanVleet had missed the last five games, and starting power forward Jabari Smith Jr. had missed four games. Udoka stated that he felt his team had played a lot better in the first 27 games than in the last 27 games and that he wanted to get back to that consistency and “take a look at our group going forward as is and see if we get back to the consistency and competitiveness that we had in the first 27.”

The Rockets were thrashed by the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday night to start the second half of the season, 127-105. Green shot 3-for-14 from the floor, scoring just 10 points; rookie guard Amen Thompson scored 22 points off the bench on 9-for-13 shooting, to go along with five rebounds, four assists, and three blocks.

With the Rockets’ play-in hopes seeming to slip away, potential lineup changes are an important development to monitor. Green has struggled this season in comparison to Thompson and fellow rookie Cam Whitmore, both of whom have exceeded expectations thus far. But Green is eligible for a contract extension this summer, currently in year three of his four-year rookie contract. The Rockets were rumored to be dangling Green at the deadline, along with a package of draft picks, to the Brooklyn Nets for swingman Mikal Bridges.

Udoka no doubt wants to make the play-in tournament. He stated at the year’s beginning that he had never missed the postseason. But if the team benched Green, would they lose him altogether? Could his confidence recover? And if the season is already lost, perhaps it makes sense to see things through and hope Green can turn it around.