The Houston Rockets entered their first-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers as the lower seed. Injuries to Austin Reaves and Luka Dončić opened the door for an easier path into the Western Conference semifinals. The Rockets are squandering that opportunity and find themselves down 0-2 in shocking fashion.
Kendrick Perkins Did Not Hold Back When Roasting Rockets
Kendrick Perkins hosts the “Road Trippin” podcasts with Richard Jefferson, Channing Frye, and Allie Clifton. The 2008 NBA champion went in on the Rockets organization after they fell 101-94 in Game 2 on April 21.
“The Rockets look like a pile of sh*t. Starting with their coach all the way down. They’re a dysfunctional group. They’re embarrassing to watch. The Lakers came into this series as a heavy underdog. No Luka, no Austin Reaves, and they are putting on a clinic against the Houston Rockets,” said Perkins.
Kendrick Perkins GOES IN on the Rockets 👀
“The Rockets look like a pile of sh*t. Starting with their coach all the way down. They’re a dysfunctional group. They’re embarrassing to watch…. Sengun is looking like a liability offensively and defensively… Kevin Durant comes back… https://t.co/gHwUazpOh4 pic.twitter.com/rLj0MehJl2
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) April 23, 2026
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Dončić may not be available for the entire series, but that may not matter. The Rockets must find a way to score more efficiently, as the Lakers have held them under 100 points in both contests.
Alperen Şengün is shooting a combined 15-of-39 from the field, struggling to finish routine post looks around the paint. Kevin Durant scored 23 points in Game 2, but the future Hall of Famer took just 12 shots and committed nine costly turnovers.
Los Angeles double-teamed Durant throughout the contest, and the Rockets had no answer. Perkins specifically called out Şengün, Durant, and Udoka in his rant.
“Şengün is looking like a liability offensively and defensively … Kevin Durant comes back pouting, bad body language, complaining, and yelling at his teammates. He’s supposed to be empowering those guys … JJ Redick is coaching circles around Ime Udoka. One team looks fully prepared, and the other team doesn’t,” emphasized Perkins.
Only three players, Josh Okogie, Amen Thompson, and Durant, shot at least 50% from the floor in Game 2. That number shrank to just two in Game 1- Okogie and Tari Eason.
The Rockets must convert more efficiently inside the arc. They shot just 24-of-60 in Game 1 and 29-of-60 in Game 2 on 2-point attempts.
Houston’s biggest offensive edge comes on the glass. It led the league in offensive rebounding at 15.0 per game in the regular season. This success translated perfectly into the playoffs.
The Rockets won the offensive glass 21-3 in Game 1 and 17-9 in Game 2. Houston maximized its strength and still finds itself down 0-2, a concerning sign for the rest of the series.
Houston accelerated their timeline by trading away Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks for Durant last summer. This only puts more pressure on Udoka to see immediate results. If the Dončić-less, Reaves-less Lakers eliminate the Rockets in the first round, questions could arise about Udoka’s future with the team.
