The 2025-26 NBA season is nearing a close. The playoffs start next month.

Well, in a few weeks, actually.

Opinions are mixed on the Houston Rockets. They’ve faced a mountain of criticism and cynicism.

There’s no shortage of skeptics, even though the Rockets are practically on pace for the same winning percentage as last season. Rockets coach Ime Udoka’s offensive shortcomings have been glaring.

Granted, every coach has a major area of strength and a major area of opportunity for improvement. Udoka’s area of expertise is on the defensive end of the floor.

But every coach should be able to make in-game adjustments. Or in-season adjustments.

Udoka has been rather stubborn in this regard. Look no further than his handling of Houston’s point guard situation. He’s been hell-bent on starting Amen Thompson at the point guard spot.

Even though it’s clearly not for the better of the Rockets’ offense. There are much better ways to use him and/or maximize his skillset.

He’s a force when getting downhill or roaming the baseline. Or living in the dunker spot.

Not at the top of the key.

Kevin Durant is also not the best person to bring the ball up the court. He’s also not a point guard.

Teams have been trapping him and blitzing him at half court. And Udoka has been letting them, in the sense that he’s not been changing anything up.

Against the Los Angeles Lakers, who many view as a favorable matchup for the Rockets, Udoka was hellbent on doing the same thing, possession after possession.

Even though it wasn’t working. Where’s the counter?

Durant can’t do everything. Teams have grown rather comfortable allowing quite literally anyone else on the Rockets to beat them. And it’s worked. Udoka couldn’t scheme out of the trap.

Even with a 4-on-3 advantage.

Durant is not the initiator. That’s playing into the hands of defeat.

Also, why can’t Udoka gameplan against teams defending Amen Thompson with a center?

On the Thompson front, why don’t we see more inverted pick-and-roll action? I.e. using Thompson as a screener.

Why did it take Udoka so long to let Reed Sheppard close games out? It was seemingly his fetish to pull Sheppard out of tight games with a handful of minutes remaining.

Why doesn’t Josh Okogie get more burn? It wasn’t that long ago that we were in amazement at just how perfect of a role player he was.

Also, and I’m surely in the minority here, at least I’d assume so….why doesn’t Aaron Holiday play more? The Rockets have to maximize their roster.

And they don’t have bench depth. Especially if Okogie is out of the rotation.

They need scoring. Holiday can provide that in a handful of minutes. Houston is 8-2 this season when he scores in double figures. They’re also 6-3 this season when Holiday plays at least 20 minutes.

They were also 8-5 last season when he scored in double figures. And 4-2 when he played at least 20 minutes.

That’s a 16-7 record when Holiday provides a scoring punch off the bench in the last two years and 10-5 when he gets meaningful playing time.

PLAY AARON HOLIDAY! He’s not Lou Williams. Nor is he Jamal Crawford. But he can provide a spark off the bench.

All told, Udoka has left alot of meat on the bone this season. Will he be able to tighten up in the postseason? Let’s see.