Rockets coach Made by Udok does not diminish expectations for the upcoming season. He is said to be preparing for a long run in the playoffs Christy Ricken of the Associated Press.
“We’re not here to make the first round, we want to make some real noise.” Udoka said during team media day. “Everybody’s more hungry for that and to take that next step rather than plateau.”
Houston had a 52-win season despite losing their point guard Fred VanVleet before a season-ending ACL tear before training camp. The Rockets lost to the Lakers in the first round of the playoffs.
“Obviously we had some struggles last year, especially on the injury front, and we lost quite a few games that we thought we could have won and still had a good year.” GM Raphael Stone said. “So I think there’s a lot of meat on the bone that we can improve on.”
Here’s more on the Rockets:
- VanVleet received a full medical clearance to go to camp. “Where I’m at right now, with about 30 days left in the season, I feel really good.” he said. “It’s still going to be a process, so you guys won’t see the finished product, but I’m in a really good place.” Udoka said VanVleet was involved in 5-on-5 scrimmages, The Athletic’s Will Guillory tweets. Udoka expects his point guard to sit out both meetings, at least early in the season. VanVleet is heading into his walk year after exercising his $25 million option for this season.
- Kevin Durant not keen on the idea of reducing playing time that Udoka has proposed. “Not just to cut minutes just because he’s older or played a lot of minutes,” Durant said. “That’s what I have to train for, is to play for a long time, to play 48 minutes a night. It worries me, but if the game calls for me to be there, I want to be there.” Durant added that “the team is better when I’m on the court.” Durant, 37, averaged 36.4 minutes last season in 78 starts.
- Durant has a $46 million option on his contract through the 2027-28 season. Stone noted that Durant reiterated at the end of last season “how happy he is here” and that he wants to stay in Houston, Ben DuBose of The Rockets Wire tweets.
- Amin Thompson Varun Shankar of the Houston Chronicle admitted he didn’t deserve a spot on one of the NBA’s all-defensive teams last season tweets. Still, Thompson is using it as motivation to be better this season. He’s also motivated by his brother, the Pistons’ wing. Ausar Thompsontook a place in the first defensive team.
