Ime Udoka throws Houston Rockets’ youth under the bus after ‘horrendous’ Game 3 defeat vs. LA Lakers

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Ime Udoka did not sugarcoat anything after the Houston Rockets’ Game 3 collapse against the Los Angeles Lakers.

What should have been a series-shifting win turned into a nightmare finish, with Houston blowing a late lead and falling into a 0-3 hole.

And for Udoka, the explanation was simple and brutal.

Photo by Jack Gorman/Getty Images

Ime Udoka calls out Rockets youth after Game 3 collapse

Udoka pointed directly at his players after the loss during the postgame interview, shared by Lachard Binkley.

“Horrendous mistakes, I don’t know if you want to say youth or scared of the moment,” Udoka said.

That line summed up the frustration inside Houston’s locker room. The Rockets had control late, leading by six points with under 30 seconds left, before everything unraveled.

Udoka’s comments were not just about one play. They were about a pattern that has shown up throughout the series, where inexperience has started to show under playoff pressure.

Late turnovers handed LA Lakers Game 3 in the final seconds

The collapse itself came down to two critical mistakes that flipped the game in a matter of seconds.

With around 25 seconds left, committed a careless turnover in the backcourt, leading directly to a foul on a three-point shooter that cut the lead to one possession.