In the eyes of many Rockets fans, the biggest reinforcement last offseason was not getting Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore in the draft, or signing the likes of Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks and Jock Landale. It's not to belittle these players, it's just that without mentorship, it's difficult for players to play to their strengths, and the Rockets' hiring of Amy Udoka as the team's new head coach is obviously a wise decision.
And on the podcast, commentator Stephen Smith bluntly said that the Rockets have picked up the treasure, and the celebrity can be said to praise Amy Udoka. Stephen Smith said that if the latter had continued to coach the Celtics, the Green Army should have won the championship last season instead of struggling as they do now.
You must know that in her first year as head coach, Amy Udoka made the Celtics the new king of the East and made it all the way to the Finals, only to meet the godly Stephen Curry and unfortunately missed the championship. Originally, last season's Celtics lineup was better, but Amy Udoka was fired because of off-court problems, Mazzulla took office as the new coach of the Green Army, but obviously he is not as capable as Amy Udoka, and the Celtics in the East Finals have been suppressed by the Heat in the case of home court advantage, and finally lost in the tie-break battle, the outside world agrees that if Amy Udoka is there, this situation will not happen, even if the Finals meet the Nuggets, the Celtics dare not say that they will win, at least they have the power to fight, not like last year, they have not been able to break out of the East, and the Finals can't get in。
The Rockets, on the other hand, have been determined to spot Amy Udoka, and the Rockets have improved significantly this season. In addition to winning 19 more games in terms of record and being one step away from the play-offs, the Rockets are among the best in the league in defensive efficiency, especially before Tari Eason's injury, the Rockets are second only to the Celtics and Timberwolves in defense, and are firmly in the top three in the league. Compared with the previous two teams, the Rockets' roster depth and defensive resources have obviously suffered, which shows that the coaching staff has worked hard.
And if it is said that in the three years of rebuilding, the Rockets are free-range for young players, so that they inadvertently develop bad habits, after Amy Udoka became the owner, he was very strict with young players, no matter who played badly or did not meet the requirements, he would directly reduce his playing time or even be hidden. As a result, the Rockets players are engaged in healthy competition, and the coaching staff has clearly contributed to the progress of Jalen Green and Alperen Shinkin, including Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore, who have quickly adapted to the league.