Philadelphia 76ers survived a late push to beat the Houston Rockets 128-122 in overtime Thursday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena, a result that dropped Houston to 26-16 on the season.
“It’s a tough one for anybody,” Udoka said regarding Alperen Sengun’s matchup against Joel Embiid. “We’ve seen everything coverage-wise and personnel-wise, so very comfortable moving him all over the court and taking advantage of his skill set.”
Udoka highlighted the team effort required to defend Philadelphia’s dynamic guards. “Maxey is scoring at a high level with the pace and shooting ability,” he said. “We like those matchups with our athletic wings. Put some size on these guys. Edgecombe is young and athletic, having a really good rookie season, so account for those guys.”
The Rockets coach noted his preference for small-ball lineups over the traditional double-big combination. “Not as often. Don’t like that combination. We’ll go to small ball more,” Udoka explained. He also reflected on his time coaching against Embiid during his time with the Celtics, emphasizing the Sixers star’s versatility. “He’s always going to be a good rim protector with his size, but getting him moving side to side and attacking with our guards… we want to move him around a little bit.”
Udoka praised Sengun’s role as an organizer in Fred VanVleet’s absence. “He’s a very unique big, not your traditional back-to-the-basket guy. We move him all over the court, and with his passing ability and IQ, he can get us into a lot of sets. He rebounds and pushes. We don’t have to play through the traditional point guard route, and a big part of that is due to him.”
On generating faster starts, Udoka stressed energy and focus. “Attention to detail at the start has been big. Coming out with the right energy, not playing up or down to the level of competition, understanding the effect of aggression, and not letting teams get comfortable.”
Udoka also reflected on the personal and professional growth of his players. “Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid put in all the work behind the scenes. It’s a 24-hour thing to get your body ready to play. It sucks seeing them miss games, but good to see him getting back out there,” he said. He praised rookie Amen Thompson’s competitiveness and ability to attack downhill. “He comes in game ready. He stepped right in and played really well.”
Regarding offensive strategy against teams focused on stopping Kevin Durant and Sengun, Udoka noted, “Most teams have maybe two high-level defenders. For him, such a unique player, when he’s at another level, it takes us there. It’s a balance of looking to score, knowing when to attack, and setting people up.”
Udoka concluded with comments on coaching fundamentals. “Closeouts depend on personnel. Certain guys you pick up physically, others situationally. It’s about adapting and executing with discipline.”
The Rockets fall to 26-16 while the 76ers improve to 24-19. Houston faces the Detroit Pistons on Friday, and Philadelphia hosts the New York Knicks on Saturday.
