NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: ROCKETS vs WARRIORS

April 28, 2025

Ime Udoka

Game 4 - Postgame Media Conference

Golden State Warriors 109, Houston Rockets 106

Q. It seemed like they had no answer for Alpy for a lot of that second half. What did you think of the execution on that final play after the time-out with him missing the shot against Draymond?

IME UDOKA: It's t was okay. I think Draymond shot the gap and kind of denied the catch. Tried to get a switch with Payton. So didn't get a great screen and kept the matchup but got a decent look. But got to screen better to get Alpy open at the spot we want him at.

Q. You went for a double-big lineup for a large portion. How do you think that fared, especially compared to the starting lineup which seemed to have a rough start to both halves?

IME UDOKA: They were great. They kept us in the game. Obviously the start of the third quarter, 18-1 run, and just gave everything back that we did before the halftime. To be up seven and go down ten that quickly, the missed shots or whatever, nobody tries to miss shots, but the non-help off of certain guys, leaving shooters, and then just not rebounding, again, they beat us on the offensive glass, second-chance points. So not a great start there.

Double big was the reason we stayed in the game.

Q. (No mic.)

IME UDOKA: Yeah, like I said, get some separation with the screens, but you have to come off and be aggressive. Tonight was a little more free than last game, and you just have to make the right plays.

Not his best night offensively, obviously, but you can't let that affect your all-around game. Still make the right play. Make the right read and let guys be recipient, and you've still got to guard at a high level and not get discouraged by an off-night offensively.

Q. Alperen had his best stretch with Draymond out of the game. Do you feel like you have any route to efficient offense when Draymond is in the game, and what would that be?

IME UDOKA: Yeah, we got some looks and used his aggression against him and got him in foul trouble there. He's kind of roaming all over the place. So make the right read, you'll get open looks off him. You know, I think Alpy was going well regardless. The plan was to go attack Green, and I think he did that. Had some success there, and missed some easy shots early and settled in there.

Continue to be aggressive there, and doesn't matter who is on Alperen, we feel like we have an advantage every night.

Q. Can you talk about just what the locker room was like after game, such a tough loss, and what's the mentality you guys have to have to try to keep this series alive?

IME UDOKA: A little bit upset, of course. Feels like the games we lost that we really hurt ourselves in a lot of ways.

You know, you get a late foul on a three, obviously that stands out, but it's not just a play late in the game. It's all the things that add up to it, first half, fouling guys in the bonus and those things, it's hard to out play those mistakes, the amount we're making, let alone the third quarter when we come out undisciplined like that.

Guys are down, but they understand that the game we've played well, the one game out of the four, we had a blow-out win and other games it's been a one-possession game a lot of times or we've had a fourth quarter lead and not played well.

Consistency wins in this series, and we've talked about that from day one and we have to be a lot more consistent across the board. The plan is obviously to go home and get one and come back.

Q. What seems to be the mentality on the free throw shooting?

IME UDOKA: Can't tell you what the mentality is. I think go up there to make them. Obviously missing, I think we missed 12 tonight. It's not good enough in a one-possession game.

So it takes it back to Game 1 when we shot poorly from three from free throw, and if you're going to make some of the mistakes we are, it would be good to cash those in and obviously give us a little margin for error.

Q. What would be the message for this young team going back to Houston down 3-1?

IME UDOKA: Go get a win. Let's play a sound, disciplined game, full game, and not have these lulls that we've had that allowed us to lose a lead or them get a big lead and we have to fight our way back.

It's all good fighting your way back and showing that heart but you want to do the disciplined things to stay up when you get the lead or not let them go on runs like that.

So you have to be much more consistent, which was a big mantra coming into the series.

Q. What was the calculation taking Steven Adams out when they went to the hack in the fourth quarter?

IME UDOKA: They got us into the bonus by taking the fouls and getting them out and bringing them back in when it's under two minutes. So they can't be as aggressive defensively. They built up the fouls, and Alperen was rolling, some guys were playing well, Amen obviously there.

So wanted to go with that lineup, take Steven out and get him back when it's under two minutes.

Q. Now that you are facing elimination, do you give any more serious consideration to changing the starting five?

IME UDOKA: Yeah, we'll take a look at everything. Obviously certain lineups have been much better at times, and the poor start to the third really stand out, obviously. You know, there's a few pieces to it. There's obviously offensive things and the big lineup goes on and they rebound well and all those things.

But at the same time, we've been really about defensively with that starting unit. You know, keeping them in the low 20s for the most part and having a lead after the first quarter. Doing good there defensively. Offensively, got some room to make up for sure.