Rockets Coach Ime Udoka Speaks on Late Game Blunder vs. Mavericks: 'We Are a Fouling Team'

Following the Houston Rockets overtime defeat, coach Ime Udoka speaks on the team's decision not the foul on the Mavericks' final possession in regulation.

Apr 7, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) celebrates after making a / Andrew Dieb-USA TODAY Sports

The Houston Rockets losing streak extended to five following a 147-136 overtime loss to the Dallas Mavericks Sunday afternoon. But if it wasn't for one significant mistake, the Rockets would have departed the American Airlines Center with their first victory since March 29.

Jabari Smith Jr. missed a pair of free throws with 8.6 seconds left in the fourth quarter, which gave the Dallas Mavericks one last possession to avoid an upset by the Rockets.

Houston trapped Luka Dončić to force him to give up the ball in the closing seconds. However, Dante Exum drilled a 3-point field goal at the buzzer to send the game into overtime. Coach Ime Udoka revealed after the game that the plan for the Rockets was to intentionally foul any ball handler to avoid a game-tying triple.

Apr 7, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) celebrates after making a / Andrew Dieb-USA TODAY Sports

"We are a fouling team when up three — always," Udoka said. "Obviously, we could have made a free throw or two to put the game out of reach. But I am not going to yell in front of the team. If he misses both, then foul. We know what we do. I related it to a few individuals. You have to take that foul. We have done it all year."

The Mavericks outscored the Rockets 18-7 during the overtime period, which resulted in Houston falling to their I-45 rivals for the second time in a week. The loss also eliminated the Rockets from the Play-In Tournament race, as the Golden State Warriors received the 10th and final spot in the Western Conference.

Dillon Brooks led the Rockets with a season-high 29 points on 9 of 14 shooting from the field, 5 of 6 from beyond the arc. Kyrie Irving scored a game-high 48 points on 15 of 25 shooting. He scored 19 fourth-quarter points during the Mavericks' comeback attempt.

Exum, a former member of the Rockets, finished the game with 14 points, nine rebounds on 5 of 11 shooting from the field.

“It’s happened a lot throughout the season, just missing one shot, and they come to you like, ‘Yeah, shoot the next one, shoot the next one,’" Exum said. “I think in just those big moments when you need to knock it down, it just reminds you of the times they’ve had your back.”