Jason Burgos
Popular sports analyst Bill Simmons does not like the vibe the Houston Rockets are giving off as we near the NBA playoffs, and even thinks head coach Ime Udoka isn’t a fan of this roster.
Entering the season, the Rockets were viewed by many as a serious threat to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the West. They had an elite defense, a nice young core, and added future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant to give them the go-to scorer they lacked.
For much of the season, they have been a top-four team in the conference. However, they seem to be faltering down the stretch. Losing 6 of their last 10, including to likely playoff opponents, the San Antonio Spurs, the Los Angeles Lakers (twice), and the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday.
Their recent play has made devoted NBA fan and expert Bill Simmons very worried, and he expanded on his thoughts during a new edition of his The Ringer podcast.
Have the Rockets gone downhill since Kevin Durant burner phone rumors?
“The body language doctor is just horrified,” Simmons began by saying. The popular podcaster claimed the vibes from the Rockets are bad, and he feels they are the most “disconnected of the playoff teams.” One of the biggest pieces of evidence for why he feels this way was a key moment during this week’s 110-108 overtime loss to the Timberwolves.
After a bad turnover late in regulation, All-Star Alperen Sengun made an unbelievable play by running back and getting a huge block. He extended so much that he was off balance, ended up falling on his face, and cut his lip. Yet instead of his teammates getting revved up by the play, Reed Sheppard gave him a “nice job, buddy, like it’s the end of the first quarter.”
Simmons also noted how Durant and his other Rockets teammates didn’t show much support for the play afterwards either. “That team is so not on the same page. I don’t like vibes. Something’s really wrong,” he said.
He then took things a bit further. Suggesting Ime Udoka has done one of the worst coaching jobs in the NBA this season, and questioned the lack of late-game adjustments.
“The vibes are awful. I don’t think he really likes the team that much. And if you want to go full conspiracy theory, they have not been the same since that KD burner stuff during the All-Star break,” Simmons said.
A conspiracy emerged earlier this season over an X account believed to be owned by Durant that showed group chat conversations that criticized Rockets teammates, as well as other players and coaches around the league.
