2024-01-14 07:05:00
Ime Udoka is back in Boston! The former Celtics coach had to vacate his position in 2022 due to improper behavior. He is now on the sidelines for the Houston Rockets. However, the first encounter with his former protégés went completely wrong for him!
Boston Celtics (30-9) – Houston Rockets (19-19) 145:113 (BOXSCORE)
Houston coach Ime Udoka certainly imagined this reunion to be different! In the first meeting with his former team, the Boston Celtics, the 46-year-old experienced a bitter defeat. His Rockets were already down by eleven points at halftime, but things only got worse from there.
In the second half, the hosts from Boston continually extended their lead. The third quarter was clearly won 43:28 and the lead was initially extended to 27 points, and in the final period it was even 36 points.
The Celtics benefited from their strong shooting. In total, 24 of the 47 three-point attempts found their way onto the target (51 percent). The Rockets, on the other hand, remained well below average in this category (7/30).
Udoka: “I disappointed some people”
Ime Udoka will probably remember the game for more than just that. After all, he was on the Celtics sidelines until 2022. However, his time in Massachusetts ended when an intimate relationship with a woman on the staff became public. “For me the biggest problem is that I’ve disappointed some people, that’s clear,” he admitted before Tip-Off last night. “The job wasn’t done. I built a lot of relationships in a year and obviously wanted the chance to play with a group that I might build and grow with.”
Boston’s Jaylen Brown (32, 11/15, 6 assists) jumped to his ex-coach’s side: “I’m glad that Ime is back and coaching on the sidelines. I wish the boys good luck.”
Luck that the Celts themselves probably don’t need at the moment. They won their 19th home game of the current season once morest the Rockets, and the team has now been unbeaten in 23 games at TD Garden across all seasons (regular season only). With 30 wins and nine defeats, coach Joe Mazzulla’s team currently has the best record in the league.
Despite blowout win once morest Rockets: Jayson Tatum is “frustrated”
Star player Jayson Tatum caused a stir at the end of the game. Despite a lead of almost 30 points with ten minutes remaining in the fourth quarter the Celtics guard complained so vehemently regarding a non-call, that he was awarded two technical fouls in a very short space of time and had to leave the pitch. “I know how far the game has progressed, the game was almost over. But I also have to stand up for myself,” defended the 25-year-old following the game. Tatum finished the game with 27 points, eight rebounds and five assists.
The Rockets’ best player was Alperen Sengün, who had 19 points, 10 rebounds and four steals in 25 minutes. Cam Whitmore scored 22 points and returnee Dillon Brooks had 12.
NBA – Celtics vs. Rockets: Die Stats-Leader
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