Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka laid out his expectations for his team’s Round 1 playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers.
As the Rockets’ coaching staff watched the final moments of the Denver Nuggets-San Antonio Spurs game to confirm the Lakers’ No. 4 seeding, Udoka outlined the reality of facing Los Angeles in the playoffs.
Rockets HC Ime Udoka Sets the Tone for First-Round Playoff Series vs. the Lakers
Speaking to the media after the matchups were finalized, Udoka discussed his team’s recent track record against Los Angeles and the challenge of facing their undermanned roster in the playoffs.
“For us, obviously it’s fresh that we lost two games to them recently and then kind of flipped the switch since then,” Udoka stated.
Ime Udoka said the Rockets were watching the end of the Nuggets-Spurs game in the locker room.
On playing the shorthanded LA Lakers in the first round:
“For us, obviously it’s fresh that we lost two games to them recently and then kind of flipped the switch since then. Had a… pic.twitter.com/pTPuIAheeA— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) April 13, 2026
“Had a really good game against them on Christmas and obviously know they’re injured, but quality players across the board… It’s still the NBA, they have some really great players there. We’ll have our hands full.”
Houston (52-30) looks to be catching fire at the right time, closing out the regular season with an 11-4 record over their final 15 games. During that dominant stretch, the Rockets saw Kevin Durant take the reins, averaging 26.1 points, 6.0 assists, and 5.3 rebounds per game.
The Lakers, in comparison, are limping to the starting line. After losing Luka Dončić to a left hamstring strain and Austin Reaves to a Grade 2 oblique muscle injury, the roster was stripped of a massive chunk of scoring production.
With their starting backcourt sidelined, the Lakers are being forced to overhaul their game plan around 41-year-old LeBron James and their role players.
Forced to absorb the sheer weight of the offense, a 41-year-old James turned back the clock, keeping the team afloat. The league’s all-time leading scorer averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists this regular season.
But the complexion of this series has been altered with the Lakers’ injury situation, no doubt. After the final regular-season game against the Utah Jazz, Smart gave an honest assessment of facing the Rockets and Durant in the playoffs.
“Brutal. It’s brutal, man,” Smart said. “I mean, dude is one of the greatest to play this game, and he moves like a guard with a big man’s body. It’s hard, it’s definitely tough. He’s gonna make it tough for us, we’re gonna make it tough for him.”
When Game 1 tips off on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET, Los Angeles will pray for a miracle series run, while the Rockets will look to get over the line without any hiccups.
