Houston Rockets coach Ime Udoka unloaded on the referees after his team’s 132-124 defeat to the Chicago Bulls on Monday night, calling several key decisions soft in a heated postgame rant.
Udoka received two technical fouls and an ejection with just 9.1 seconds left, sealing a frustrating loss that dropped Houston to sixth in the Western Conference at 43-28. The Rockets trailed by as much as 20 after surrendering 41 points in the first quarter to Chicago’s offense, ranked 25th in the NBA. Despite the slow start, Houston clawed back behind standout efforts from its stars. Kevin Durant poured in 40 points on 15-of-23 shooting, including 15 in the fourth quarter during a furious rally that briefly gave the Rockets the lead midway through the period. Alperen Sengun nearly recorded a triple-double with 33 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists on an efficient 16-of-19 from the field.
Udoka’s first technical came late in the opening quarter after officials reviewed and upheld a Flagrant 1 foul on guard Amen Thompson during an offensive play involving Bulls guard Colin Sexton. Chicago capitalized with two free throws. Tension boiled over in the closing seconds when Durant drew an offensive foul while attempting to set a screen, prompting Udoka to storm the court in protest. The Bulls converted all four free throws from the technicals, putting the game out of reach.
In his news conference, Udoka did not hold back on the calls, describing the flagrant on Thompson and his own technicals as overly lenient and unnecessary. He also ripped his team’s early effort, saying they failed to respect the opponent and lacked aggression from tipoff, leading to the explosive Bulls start. Chicago’s young core stepped up late, with Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis and Jalen Smith each hitting crucial three-pointers in the final 90 seconds to secure the win.
The defeat leaves Houston half a game behind the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves for higher seeds, with fewer than 15 games remaining in the regular season. Udoka, who faced a $25,000 fine earlier this year for similar referee criticism, risks further league scrutiny. His blunt message underscored the urgency for consistency as the Rockets navigate a tight playoff race and upcoming road tests, including a trip to Minnesota.
FULL MOMENT: Ime Udoka ejected then Alperen Sengun ejected for calling ref a b*tch pic.twitter.com/3T6NBiwoVF
— NBAbzy (@nbabzyy) February 5, 2026
