Houston Rockets Practice: Ime Udoka Talks Alperen Sengun, Cleveland Cavaliers

Houston Rockets Practice: Ime Udoka Talks Alperen Sengun, Cleveland Cavaliers

Hurry up. Um, what do you want to see from your team against a pass team that’s obviously very solid offensive team? Yeah, improved play. I think it’s not just against Cleveland in general. Um, the growth, you know, defensively. Uh, communication is is a major key, I think, especially in some of the zone stuff. Um, just better recognition, understanding of who we’re guarding in certain positions. And so, at times focus on certain guys and taking certain things away. um and making other people prove it. So, it’s just a continual thing of it, continual communication growth on that uh especially in showing up. Now that you have a handful of games under your belt, how do you feel like you guys have adjusted having Fred and kind of grown into a new team that you’re forced to be? It’s been some ups and downs. Um not always the most fluid, but figuring out ways to get it done. Uh we know certain things that’ll get us decent or great looks. Um then just unselfishness and and random variety that we have has been good. I think you have a lot of different guys attacking and getting us into sets and then um obviously some guys who draw a lot of attention and guys that played well off them and so um just trying to smooth out the wrinkles a little bit and get a little bit more fluid, less stagnant at times and continue to do what we did great which is share the ball, move the ball if we take care of it, get shots and get rebounds. Good formula. Has there been anything that surprised you about the way you guys have played without? I wouldn’t say surprised like I said from day one, we’re going to have to do it a little bit unconventional. Um, but you know, we wanted guys to grow into these roles and you know, be more facilitators and you know, as Alpie, that’s Kevin mainly, but um, like I said, not the old fashioned get us into sets and what we depended on Fred to do so much the last few years. uh all those guys have taken a step and you see that by their numbers uh and by our numbers shooting wise it’s just numbers turnovers been a little high and that’s going to happen when you have multiple guys handling at times but some guys in some different spots but overall um can’t be too unsatisfied and although uh we want to start some things as well was talking about how even though y’all can be a lot better can do a lot better things it’s good to be able to learn when you’re winning is that is that beneficial that you know you’re only winner but y’all can still do more yeah because we see some simple things that would have had us at in a better standing or figuring out ways to get it done. Last game was a prime example of that. Um wasn’t going the smoothest. Um kept grinding, losing leads in the back and forth a little bit, but to execute some of the things we did down the stretch was good. Um and the county avoids the most situations as well. And so, um in general, I don’t think you know the losses we had, we know what why we lost. It was OKC Detroit and San Antonio turnovers and offensive rebounds. Even if you win those games, you don’t want to gloss over those things that hurt us in those games. So whether you win or lose, you can still learn things from us. What are some of the difficulties that this Cleveland Cavaliers team presents? Yeah, some really good depending on, you know, if Garland plays or not, um, you know, they’re they’re one of the leading transition teams in the league. Leading one of the leading, if not the leading three-point shooting team now. Um, then they have size and some versatility as well. They go, you know, different ways. So Merryill’s been great for them. Hunter’s been great. different guys stepping up with Garland out, but Mitchell’s obviously the head of the snake and then they have some really athletic uh big wings and and guys inside. We’ve saw a make that huge play the end of Atlanta Magic game with a huge block. Can you just talk about his defense progression from the time you took over until now where he’s at in at the end of the game making those big plays? Yeah, it was great to see that. Everybody talks about the basket, but you’ll get to that point if he doesn’t make those the stop that he made there. Had some big offensive rebounds. Jabari as well and some of those guys. But I think um overall he’s doing a lot of different things than he ever been asked to do. We have him off the ball a lot guarding some wings and perimeter guys to scheme up some things defensively that we like and so it’s a lot on his plate. It’s not just traditional guarding a big guy and being in a specific coverage the whole game. We’re asking to think a lot and do a lot of things on the fly and he’s taking it all in and really improving the one-on-one defense, the recognition of who he’s guarding and then traditional things as well if we have to go to that coverage. He’s good in zone communicating wise, but also gotten better at protecting the rim. Coach, we asked you a lot about Reed’s confidence and the way he’s been able to play over the last nine games. How much of that starts in practice with some of the defenders he has to go against here? Yes, it’s a good point that they’re all getting after each other in the in the offseason. I think um you know, we have a lot of big highle defenders that he’s going to have to really work to get shots off against and and to defend them as well. And so all that plays into it, you know, the depth that we have and like I said, offseason training camp and all those things. But real thing is the opportunity and that he’s getting and taking advantage of it. And so, um, you’re going to get more of a rhythm the more minutes and opportunity you get. And we need him to take that step this year regardless of Fred being out. And, um, he’s really looked great obviously and want to continue to be confident. Last year you guys were a heavy defensive team. Really relied on that. the identity is kind of changing this year with you guys being the best offensive team in in the league. How do you keep that DNA of wanting to be defensive and also still improve offensively and how do you see that changing as well? Yeah, I mean some is just strictly personnel based and you lose a guy like Dylan, you know, the physicality he brings every night. You have to make that up, you know, more as a unit. um Fred as well, but I think we want to we talked about improving on the offensive end, but maintaining our identity and not get losing track of what brought us success over the last few years. And so I think we’re one of the teams that can do both. Some some will strictly have to outscore you or rely on defense and we can be really good at both and get in the top five, not top of both those lists. And so um I think it’s just me continuing to push that harp on that with the guys. I’m always been coaching hard as far as doing that thing, both that side of the ball, but offensively improving like we have and we add certain personnel and pieces to to to the puzzle, I think you’ll improve offensively. Coach, it’s a hard fought game against Orlando Magic. How good does it feel to have two closers like Cayman Durant and Alpie to go to at the end of the game? Yeah, it’s a plus. It’s a luxury for you to, you know, have guys that can get it themselves, but also get guys, you know, draw the attention to get guys other shots as well. So, uh, Kevin made a bunch of big shots. Albby obviously did as well. But it wasn’t just those. It was the doubles and crowds that they saw were to get them in slashing to the basket to get the kick out threes to Jabari. And so, yeah, they’re not they’re they’re very unselfish guys that you see that with the assist numbers being up in the seven eight range and scoring numbers being up in the 30s. They’re doing the both doing everything we’re asking of them and just continue to make the right play regardless of the situation. Tari East out, Aaron Holidayiday seem to fill his minutes a lot. What does a guy like Aaron bring to this team? Yeah, I think um you know it’ll be Aaron, Jan, and you know different combination at times. If we start bigger and we play with Clint at times and so um it’s a little bit by committee, but Aeron’s been considentate pro from day one. Uh a guy that may not play and is ready to come in and impact the game when Tar gets hurt in that game or uh when he knows he’s playing more uh more extended role. And so he’s been great. Um, you know, we give him his his props uh after those games when he does that. And it’s just a guy that you love to have on your team for those reasons.

Houston Rockets Practice Interview: Ime Udoka Talks Alperen Sengun, Cleveland Cavaliers

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