February 28, 2025 • 10 mins
Head coach Ime Udoka joined "The Matt Thomas Show with Ross" ahead of Saturday's matchup against the Sacramento Kings to discuss Fred VanVleet returning to the lineup and the Rockets having to play through missed calls until they earn the respect of the league and its officials."You're going to have to play through some things," and "understand that you'll get there eventually," Udoka said. "We'll get those calls as well."
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Right now, let's focus a little bit on what's happening
with the local basketball team. Tonight they're off. Tomorrow they'll
be back in action against the Sacramento Kings. Looking forward
to that and then a three game road trip which
will take the Rockets to Oklahoma City, take them to
Indiana and then New Orleans and joining us right now
for a weekly visit. And we say hello to Emaoka
(00:21):
here on seven hunty coach Matt Ross, how are you
this afternoon?
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Good? How are you guys doing?
Speaker 1 (00:26):
No complaints? I just saw a word from Chronicle Beat
reporter Danielle Lerner that Fred van Vliet has been cleared
for tomorrow's game, and that's got to be good for
both you and him and the team as a whole.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Yeah, everybody's happy, obviously to hap him back.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
You know, he's worked hard to have to be pacing
through some of the some of the stiffness and things
of that nature. And knowing how competitive Fred is, it's
good to see him smile and be ready to get
back out there. But guys has done a great job
without him. We had our ups and downs, of course,
but I think it would be good for us going
forward with some of the experience.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Of the guys.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
I have to ask you, because it's the obligatory injury question.
Is there going to be any sort of minutes restriction
on him or do you how do you feel about
him playing back to backs in the next couple of
weeks if that's say, if that's the case, No.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
That's why we held him out a little bit longer
to have to avoid certain things. And even he didn't
want to come back for a game and have to
miss another game or beyond restrictions, and knowing Fred that
that's the thing.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
He does not want to do.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
We won't jump back and put him in thirty eight forty,
of course, but no restrictions than anything we need from him,
we can get, all right.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
The win against San Antonio was nice. It was an
easy one for you. Those back to backs have not
been that way, and you and I talked about it
before the game about that message being out there getting
off to a fast start, and look, san Antonio, no
Victor is out there, and Darren's kind of just took
it in his feet wet, But just from a self evaluation,
that had to be much more of a rewarding for
(01:50):
you to see your guys go out there and not
making a game as compared to maybe those some of
those games against some of those other teams in those
back to backs, and they mean like Utah last week.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
Yeah, that was a message that regardless of who's in
or out for teams, we've struggled at times against teams
with some line of roster, line of rotation things going on,
and so that was a message it was.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Good to have carry over from Milwaukee, FL.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
We came out with the right intension in that game
as well, with our physicality and playing the way we're capable,
and so, uh, it's good to do that. I mean, regardless,
they still have Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes and some
veterans out there and and you know Bethel and Castle
and and sohan, so you're still playing against the quality opponent.
It was good to come out with the with the
right mindset from the start, especially on the second second
(02:35):
night of back to back after a tough Milwaukee game.
You know, San Antonio played as well, and so we
understood the task at hand and wanted to do better
than we did against Utah.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
For sure.
Speaker 4 (02:44):
What is that messaging to the team as far as
all the games down the stretch here being very important
in the West standings, and wanted to keep maybe things
light and loose, but also wanting to stress the importance
of these and how much are you scoreboard watching.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
Yeah messages. We put ourselves in a good position. Let's
not give it away.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Now we've had some some four losses, no doubt, also
had some stole some wins as well, and so you know,
don't give away all the all the work we put in,
and so yeah, the last twenty four or so games
is going to be some of the hardest basketball. Guys
have to play meaningful basketball, and some of our young
guys haven't gone through and take advantage of this opportunity.
Like I said, we had a really good start, had
(03:25):
a little bit of a fall off with the outburn
injury and obviously Fred being out and Tari and Jabari.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
Being out for that stretch of time.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
So once we're back hole, it's kind of get back
to what we did well or the season we know
we can do that we've seen and improved it to
ourselves and take advantage of the opportunity that as in front
of us.
Speaker 4 (03:42):
Rocket Take coach Emi Udoka was here on Sports talk
seven ninety. Just in my eyes, coach, it feels like,
especially recently, it's been a tough whistle for Jalen Green.
What do you think about the whistle he gets and
what are your conversations with him about trying to get
to the free throw line and use that as a
way to score efficiently.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
Yeah, for him, it's honestly, it's my message to him
and everybody's Yet, You're gonna have to play through some
things until you get the respect of the league or
the officials.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
It just is what it is.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
And so with some you know, more popular guys might
get these calls, we're not going to get that right now.
Doesn't stop us from being an attack mode or making
the right read when the help comes. But yeah, it's
it's a little frustrating at times, I'm sure for him.
You know, you got to cut on your lip and
you didn't get a foul call or whatever, and they
have to stop to play for blood, and so just
continue to be in attack mode, move on to the
(04:34):
next play and understand that you'll get there eventually. And
he's done that in the past, where he shot a
lot of free towes and games and just don't let
it be a determ, continue to play through, put it
behind you, and move on to the next play.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
So he gets a cut on his lip. You go
to the official and say, do you see my man
out there? I mean, they can't come back to you
and go, well, that must have been just incidental contact.
I can't imagine anything happened. Oh, I mean they can
they just say coach, sorry, I'll try to get you
back next time, or what something like that.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Oh the usuals are I missed it or wasn't my call?
Speaker 1 (05:07):
I wasn't my call?
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Are you kidding me?
Speaker 1 (05:10):
I lose my you know what over that. I think
he said that back to me, wasn't my call. They're
all your calls.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
At different angles, are different things. They're looking at different things.
So they have a hard job, no doubt about it.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
But my retort to that is I'm at the opposite
end of the court and I can see it. Somebody
has to see it from down there.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
So, like I said, we just try to play through
it and one day, when we improve our record and kind.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Of build our names up, we'll get those calls as well.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
All right, jabbar, you've used a little bit off the
bench and a little bit of this line up depending
on back to backs and whatnot. How has he adapted
to being the first guy off the bench. I mean
all he does is just defend for you, get rebounds
at the mention occasional mid range in three, and it
looks like to me he doesn't seem much ill to it.
I mean, what are your thoughts about what you've seen
from him as as a reservist compared to a starter.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
I mean, he's these professional, he's got high character, and
so you know, everything is a little bit fluid right
now because guys are still in out of the lineup,
and obviously Freddie coming back changes that some. But he's
just gone about his business the way he always does.
He grinds, he works hard and is trying to improve.
And big picture thing that the whole team knows and
him included, is that guys, the best guys that are
(06:20):
playing the best at that time, are going to finish
the game. So now this important starts. He gives crazy
versatility off the bench the way i'm n did in
any situation with any lineup.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
But yeah, continue to do what you do. Build yourself
back up.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
After missing those twenty two games and understanding you play
the right way, you'll be in at the end when accounts.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
Tari's energy is awesome too, especially as he plays and
doesn't play those back to backs. Is he trying to
convince you to get that back to back in or
does a doctor's orders say don't even bother asking to
coach about.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
It, or we're just trying to be smart.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
I mean, his minutes have increased, obviously, he's not on
the limit or anything. And the way he impacts the
game so big for us that you just want to
be smart. You know, three more back to backs and
you don't want to lose something towards the end of season.
We're trying to play him back to back and being
in a tough situation as far as it wariness or
anything like that. So he's in a good place when
he plays and gets a day of rest, and we're
(07:14):
going to keep it consistent with that right now.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
Last night I could have gone to the Barbie could
cook off and staid I wanted to watch him being
a basketball last night. Are you scorebird watching it all?
I think I've asked you like one time this year,
but I'm going to ask you since we're about to
hit march here can you Can you start doing that
or are you still focused on obviously what's ahead of you,
And that's obviously the most important thing.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
Yeah, I mean you obviously around this time and the
standing is being so close. You know, a lot of
teams are gaming a part two games apart.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
You need to.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
Obviously know what's going on around you, but at the
same time take care of your own business and not
have to worry and need help from somebody else. And
so for us, it's getting back to playing the way
we were. Like I said, being whole again will help
for sure, but you got to handle your own business
and I just hope for help and help. Somebody else
loses when you get because you gave one away, and
so you take care of business and let the tips
(08:06):
fallow where they may. And my biggest message to everybody
has been being healthy and playing good basketball at that
point of the season in April is more important than standing.
So I've been on several teams that have done great
as a seventh seed or lost as a number two seed,
and so playing the right way is more important. Obviously,
we put ourselves in a good position to make moves
(08:26):
and have home court advantage and take advantage of that,
and I give it away at the end.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
Twenty five points for a men.
Speaker 4 (08:32):
Thompson in the last game, can you just talk about
the evolution of his offensive game. There was like he
was making a couple like hakem post moves with his footwork.
I was impressed with that. What has that been like
for you guys as he's been playing more teams note
to kind of back off of his jump shop but
still try to get him to score efficiently.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
Yeah, I think he's continuing to grow as a player
on the ball, off ball. The things he did last year,
he's kind had everything in his memory bank where he
can be a screener and roller and obviously handling do
the things he does naturally as well. So for him
to continue to grow understand how teams are guarding him
with different different positions, different matchups for him, and once
(09:14):
he kind of sees those things, he goes through it
and he's obviously got it, like I said, in his
memory bank, and he can use those to his advantage.
So for him, it's it's figuring out, you know, being
a point guard when friend's not in there, understanding that
he has to get other guys shots and because he
can gets the paint and his kickouts for great against
it against Santona the other night, and so uh yeah,
he just continues to evolve and become that threat.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
And it's much harder to stop a.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
Guy when you want to give next space, but he
keeps taking it up and eating a space up. And
he's athletic enough to be at the RAM or find
guys and so take the shots you want to take,
now what they want you to take, and being attack
mode at all times.
Speaker 1 (09:49):
Full roster. It feels like tomorrow will be a great sign.
Thank you for the visitors always, coach, and we'll see
you tomorrow. Get ready for the Kings and Rockets at
Tota Center.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
Thank you, you got it.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
He made k with us here on the radio program.
Right now, let's focus a little bit on what's happening
with the local basketball team. Tonight they're off. Tomorrow they'll
be back in action against the Sacramento Kings. Looking forward
to that and then a three game road trip which
will take the Rockets to Oklahoma City, take them to
Indiana and then New Orleans and joining us right now
for a weekly visit. And we say hello to Emaoka
(00:21):
here on seven hunty coach Matt Ross, how are you
this afternoon?
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Good? How are you guys doing?
Speaker 1 (00:26):
No complaints? I just saw a word from Chronicle Beat
reporter Danielle Lerner that Fred van Vliet has been cleared
for tomorrow's game, and that's got to be good for
both you and him and the team as a whole.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Yeah, everybody's happy, obviously to hap him back.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
You know, he's worked hard to have to be pacing
through some of the some of the stiffness and things
of that nature. And knowing how competitive Fred is, it's
good to see him smile and be ready to get
back out there. But guys has done a great job
without him. We had our ups and downs, of course,
but I think it would be good for us going
forward with some of the experience.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Of the guys.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
I have to ask you, because it's the obligatory injury question.
Is there going to be any sort of minutes restriction
on him or do you how do you feel about
him playing back to backs in the next couple of
weeks if that's say, if that's the case, No.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
That's why we held him out a little bit longer
to have to avoid certain things. And even he didn't
want to come back for a game and have to
miss another game or beyond restrictions, and knowing Fred that
that's the thing.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
He does not want to do.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
We won't jump back and put him in thirty eight forty,
of course, but no restrictions than anything we need from him,
we can get, all right.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
The win against San Antonio was nice. It was an
easy one for you. Those back to backs have not
been that way, and you and I talked about it
before the game about that message being out there getting
off to a fast start, and look, san Antonio, no
Victor is out there, and Darren's kind of just took
it in his feet wet, But just from a self evaluation,
that had to be much more of a rewarding for
(01:50):
you to see your guys go out there and not
making a game as compared to maybe those some of
those games against some of those other teams in those
back to backs, and they mean like Utah last week.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
Yeah, that was a message that regardless of who's in
or out for teams, we've struggled at times against teams
with some line of roster, line of rotation things going on,
and so that was a message it was.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Good to have carry over from Milwaukee, FL.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
We came out with the right intension in that game
as well, with our physicality and playing the way we're capable,
and so, uh, it's good to do that. I mean, regardless,
they still have Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes and some
veterans out there and and you know Bethel and Castle
and and sohan, so you're still playing against the quality opponent.
It was good to come out with the with the
right mindset from the start, especially on the second second
(02:35):
night of back to back after a tough Milwaukee game.
You know, San Antonio played as well, and so we
understood the task at hand and wanted to do better
than we did against Utah.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
For sure.
Speaker 4 (02:44):
What is that messaging to the team as far as
all the games down the stretch here being very important
in the West standings, and wanted to keep maybe things
light and loose, but also wanting to stress the importance
of these and how much are you scoreboard watching.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
Yeah messages. We put ourselves in a good position. Let's
not give it away.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Now we've had some some four losses, no doubt, also
had some stole some wins as well, and so you know,
don't give away all the all the work we put in,
and so yeah, the last twenty four or so games
is going to be some of the hardest basketball. Guys
have to play meaningful basketball, and some of our young
guys haven't gone through and take advantage of this opportunity.
Like I said, we had a really good start, had
(03:25):
a little bit of a fall off with the outburn
injury and obviously Fred being out and Tari and Jabari.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
Being out for that stretch of time.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
So once we're back hole, it's kind of get back
to what we did well or the season we know
we can do that we've seen and improved it to
ourselves and take advantage of the opportunity that as in front
of us.
Speaker 4 (03:42):
Rocket Take coach Emi Udoka was here on Sports talk
seven ninety. Just in my eyes, coach, it feels like,
especially recently, it's been a tough whistle for Jalen Green.
What do you think about the whistle he gets and
what are your conversations with him about trying to get
to the free throw line and use that as a
way to score efficiently.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
Yeah, for him, it's honestly, it's my message to him
and everybody's Yet, You're gonna have to play through some
things until you get the respect of the league or
the officials.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
It just is what it is.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
And so with some you know, more popular guys might
get these calls, we're not going to get that right now.
Doesn't stop us from being an attack mode or making
the right read when the help comes. But yeah, it's
it's a little frustrating at times, I'm sure for him.
You know, you got to cut on your lip and
you didn't get a foul call or whatever, and they
have to stop to play for blood, and so just
continue to be in attack mode, move on to the
(04:34):
next play and understand that you'll get there eventually. And
he's done that in the past, where he shot a
lot of free towes and games and just don't let
it be a determ, continue to play through, put it
behind you, and move on to the next play.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
So he gets a cut on his lip. You go
to the official and say, do you see my man
out there? I mean, they can't come back to you
and go, well, that must have been just incidental contact.
I can't imagine anything happened. Oh, I mean they can
they just say coach, sorry, I'll try to get you
back next time, or what something like that.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Oh the usuals are I missed it or wasn't my call?
Speaker 1 (05:07):
I wasn't my call?
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Are you kidding me?
Speaker 1 (05:10):
I lose my you know what over that. I think
he said that back to me, wasn't my call. They're
all your calls.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
At different angles, are different things. They're looking at different things.
So they have a hard job, no doubt about it.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
But my retort to that is I'm at the opposite
end of the court and I can see it. Somebody
has to see it from down there.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
So, like I said, we just try to play through
it and one day, when we improve our record and kind.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Of build our names up, we'll get those calls as well.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
All right, jabbar, you've used a little bit off the
bench and a little bit of this line up depending
on back to backs and whatnot. How has he adapted
to being the first guy off the bench. I mean
all he does is just defend for you, get rebounds
at the mention occasional mid range in three, and it
looks like to me he doesn't seem much ill to it.
I mean, what are your thoughts about what you've seen
from him as as a reservist compared to a starter.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
I mean, he's these professional, he's got high character, and
so you know, everything is a little bit fluid right
now because guys are still in out of the lineup,
and obviously Freddie coming back changes that some. But he's
just gone about his business the way he always does.
He grinds, he works hard and is trying to improve.
And big picture thing that the whole team knows and
him included, is that guys, the best guys that are
(06:20):
playing the best at that time, are going to finish
the game. So now this important starts. He gives crazy
versatility off the bench the way i'm n did in
any situation with any lineup.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
But yeah, continue to do what you do. Build yourself
back up.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
After missing those twenty two games and understanding you play
the right way, you'll be in at the end when accounts.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
Tari's energy is awesome too, especially as he plays and
doesn't play those back to backs. Is he trying to
convince you to get that back to back in or
does a doctor's orders say don't even bother asking to
coach about.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
It, or we're just trying to be smart.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
I mean, his minutes have increased, obviously, he's not on
the limit or anything. And the way he impacts the
game so big for us that you just want to
be smart. You know, three more back to backs and
you don't want to lose something towards the end of season.
We're trying to play him back to back and being
in a tough situation as far as it wariness or
anything like that. So he's in a good place when
he plays and gets a day of rest, and we're
(07:14):
going to keep it consistent with that right now.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
Last night I could have gone to the Barbie could
cook off and staid I wanted to watch him being
a basketball last night. Are you scorebird watching it all?
I think I've asked you like one time this year,
but I'm going to ask you since we're about to
hit march here can you Can you start doing that
or are you still focused on obviously what's ahead of you,
And that's obviously the most important thing.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
Yeah, I mean you obviously around this time and the
standing is being so close. You know, a lot of
teams are gaming a part two games apart.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
You need to.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
Obviously know what's going on around you, but at the
same time take care of your own business and not
have to worry and need help from somebody else. And
so for us, it's getting back to playing the way
we were. Like I said, being whole again will help
for sure, but you got to handle your own business
and I just hope for help and help. Somebody else
loses when you get because you gave one away, and
so you take care of business and let the tips
(08:06):
fallow where they may. And my biggest message to everybody
has been being healthy and playing good basketball at that
point of the season in April is more important than standing.
So I've been on several teams that have done great
as a seventh seed or lost as a number two seed,
and so playing the right way is more important. Obviously,
we put ourselves in a good position to make moves
(08:26):
and have home court advantage and take advantage of that,
and I give it away at the end.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
Twenty five points for a men.
Speaker 4 (08:32):
Thompson in the last game, can you just talk about
the evolution of his offensive game. There was like he
was making a couple like hakem post moves with his footwork.
I was impressed with that. What has that been like
for you guys as he's been playing more teams note
to kind of back off of his jump shop but
still try to get him to score efficiently.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
Yeah, I think he's continuing to grow as a player
on the ball, off ball. The things he did last year,
he's kind had everything in his memory bank where he
can be a screener and roller and obviously handling do
the things he does naturally as well. So for him
to continue to grow understand how teams are guarding him
with different different positions, different matchups for him, and once
(09:14):
he kind of sees those things, he goes through it
and he's obviously got it, like I said, in his
memory bank, and he can use those to his advantage.
So for him, it's it's figuring out, you know, being
a point guard when friend's not in there, understanding that
he has to get other guys shots and because he
can gets the paint and his kickouts for great against
it against Santona the other night, and so uh yeah,
he just continues to evolve and become that threat.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
And it's much harder to stop a.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
Guy when you want to give next space, but he
keeps taking it up and eating a space up. And
he's athletic enough to be at the RAM or find
guys and so take the shots you want to take,
now what they want you to take, and being attack
mode at all times.
Speaker 1 (09:49):
Full roster. It feels like tomorrow will be a great sign.
Thank you for the visitors always, coach, and we'll see
you tomorrow. Get ready for the Kings and Rockets at
Tota Center.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
Thank you, you got it.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
He made k with us here on the radio program.
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