The Houston Rockets Don’t Mind Being the Villains

The Houston Rockets have taken on the personality of their head coach; one with a tendency to get under the skin of opposing teams.
Dec 29, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr (10) grabs a loose ball against Miami Heat forward Kevin Love (42) during the third quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images
Dec 29, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr (10) grabs a loose ball against Miami Heat forward Kevin Love (42) during the third quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images / Erik Williams-Imagn Images

The Houston Rockets successfully established an identity during the first two seasons of Head Coach Ime Udoka's tenure with the franchise. The team focuses on its defensive effort and physicality to frustrate and bother opposing teams. While Houston's pesky defense antagonizes opponents, many players on the team have adopted a personality to frustrate and bother other teams with an attitude reflective of their ornery head coach.

Against the Miami Heat, the Rockets displayed some of their scrappy demeanor during a fight that resulted in several fines and a suspension for key bench player Amen Thompson.

Thompson, originally known for his calm and quiet, has grown into a player whose temper can flip a switch. Miami's Tyler Herro found out the hard way, hitting the ground after Thompson flung him to the ground during a suspension-earning conflict. Thompson has had other examples of outbursts, tangling himself up with the San Antonio Spurs' Jeremy Sochan earlier this season.

The second-year player isn't the only Rocket taking on the aggressive personality and toughness Coach Udoka preaches to his players. Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason, and even Jalen Green have shown their ornery natures throughout Udoka's tenure.

Tari Eason has taken to social media to instigate things with opposing teams. Last season, he memorably called out the Golden State Warriors with a reference to the movie of the same name. The Warriors took the advantage in the two teams' matchups last year, but Eason's disdain for the California team was something he made clear.

Jabari Smith Jr. and Jalen Green have often inserted themselves directly in the middle of skirmishes against opposing teams. Green's role in the Miami mangle earned him a hefty fine as a result. Last year, a collision with DeMar DeRozan initiated a confrontation with Jalen Green and the Chicago Bulls.

Smith Jr. has also had opportunities to express his confrontational spirit. His hometown Atlanta Hawks brought out this energy in his game last season. In Smith's visit back to Georgia for the game, the Hawks made it clear they would not take the Rockets seriously. Smith and the Rockets rallied for a big win, but not without some confrontation with his hometown team.

The team's young players have adopted the belief that competitiveness should include some chippy behavior. Not to mention the Rockets employ Dillon Brooks, a player well-known for his antics with the Memphis Grizzlies intended to frustrate opponents.

Include Steven Adams as well, who functions as a confrontation closer. Few players in the league would volunteer to stand in his way if one of his teammates was caught in the middle of a bench-clearing squabble.

The Rockets have built a team that prides itself on its scrappy attitude. Its players deny any team that refuses to take them seriously. This attitude and mentality have led to several collisions with opposing teams, culminating in an explosive end to their match against the Heat. Houston is looking to focus their competitive energy into positive contributions for the squad, and they'll accept the consequences from their mindset.


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Trenton Whiting
TRENTON WHITING

Trenton is a Houston-born, Pearland-raised University of Houston graduate who first developed his love for journalism while in school. He began his professional career as a sports reporter for a newspaper in Columbus, Texas, before becoming the managing editor.