Wednesday\u2019s game against the Boston Celtics should have been a cakewalk for the Houston Rockets. Not only were the Celtics on the second half of a road back-to-back, but they were also missing Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Sam Hauser.<\/p>\n
Boston was so depleted<\/a> that Joe Mazzulla was forced to start backups Baylor Scheierman, Luka Garza and Ron Harper Jr. \u2014 a trio with 13 combined NBA starts \u2014 alongside Derrick White and Neemias Queta.<\/p>\n The Rockets entered the game favored by 7.5 points, and it probably should have been more. After all, they\u2019d won eight of their last 10 games and were 17-4 at home this season.<\/p>\n Teed up for an easy win, Houston should\u2019ve coasted. Instead, the Rockets lost by 21, getting blown out of their own building.<\/p>\n Houston head coach Ime Udoka, who led the Celtics to the 2022 NBA Finals, was severely outcoached by Mazzulla. He failed to make meaningful adjustments and was ejected at the end of the third quarter after watching his team go down by 20.<\/p>\n Story continues below advertisement<\/p>\n After the shocking, humiliating loss, Udoka blamed himself as well as his players<\/a>.<\/p>\n Ime Udoka: “Overall, as a coaching staff, we should be embarrassed. As the players on the floor, (they) should be embarrassed.”<\/p>\n Udoka said Rockets were lacking toughness and attention to detail from the start.<\/p>\n