Ime Udoka Throws Rockets Under the Bus After Blown Game 3 vs. Lakers

LeBron James is still making people miserable in 2026.

The Houston Rockets held a six-point lead with 40 seconds left in the fourth quarter in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series against James’ Los Angeles Lakers.

Then, Jabari Smith Jr.’s wholly unnecessary pass turned into a Marcus Smart turnover, and Jae’Sean Tate inexplicably fouled Smart, giving the Lakers a free three points with 25.4 seconds left. That’s when James happened: The 41-year-old perennial All-Star poked the ball free from Reed Sheppard, and then drilled a three to force overtime.

The Lakers pulled away in overtime to win 112-108 and go up 3-0 in the series over the Rockets, whose season is all but over.

After the game, Rockets head coach Ime Udoka spoke like a coach who feels his seat getting toasty.

“Horrendous mistakes,” Udoka told reporters, per Michael Scotto. “I don't know if you want to say youth or scared of the moment or whatever the case.”

Udoka ran through what went wrong in the final 40 seconds of regulation, including the fact that the Rockets didn’t “run what was drawn up” on the final possession after James’ tying three.

“Grow up,” Udoka said of his message to his team after the loss. “You’re not that young anymore. You’ve been to the playoffs once, and we watched every situation just now.”

It should be noted that the Rockets were without Kevin Durant, their own perennial All-Star, for Games 1 and 3 of this series. The two-time NBA Finals MVP missed Game 1 with a knee contusion, and he was ruled out of Game 3 with a left ankle sprain. But the Rockets haven’t looked right all season.

From a schematic standpoint, Houston never accounted for point guard Fred VanVleet missing the entire season with a torn ACL.

Beyond that, blowing late-game leads became part of the Rockets’ identity, with or without Durant. After squandering a 13-point fourth-quarter lead to Portland on Jan. 9, Udoka called his team “mentally weak.”

On March 25, the Rockets held a 13-point lead over Minnesota in overtime, only for Minnesota to go on a 15-0 run and win 110-108, and Udoka called it the “worst one” of all the haunting losses the Rockets had to that point.

Now, Houston is one loss away from a daunting offseason.

2026 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.

This story was originally published April 25, 2026 at 12:19 PM.