Ime Udoka criticized the officiating in a fiery post-game rant following the Houston Rockets' 120-111 loss to the Sacramento Kings, questioning missed calls and expressing frustration with the referees' decisions.
Emotions were high during Tuesday's game between the Houston Rockets (15-7) and Sacramento Kings (10-12), which ended in a 120-111 loss for the Rockets.
Head coach Ime Udoka was ejected late in the game after arguing a no-call, and he didn't hold back in expressing his frustration with the officiating during his post-game comments.
In discussing the missed calls, Udoka recalled his exchange with the referee before his ejection.
“Blatant missed calls right in front of you,” he said, per The Athletic.
“They’re calling ticky-tack moving screens, and bulls*** like that, and then you don’t want to call the obvious ones right in front of you, so that was it. Alpie got fouled a few times on that drive, and on the layup, and they don’t want to call it. I told him ‘Get some f****** glasses. Open your eyes.’”
As his frustration continued, Udoka took aim at the emotional response of the officials, urging them to focus on the game.
“Take your sensitivity and emotions out of it and call the game the right way,” he fired back. “It’s obvious right in front of you, and John Goble — or whoever it was — sees it, doesn’t call it, and I let him know about it.”
Given the strong language and direct criticism of the referees, questions are now being raised about whether Udoka will face any repercussions for his statements regarding the officiating.
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