Ime Udoka, The Terror Twins, and the Rise of the Phase 2 Rockets

Daniel Waddleton

Jan 30, 2025

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"PHASE 2". THAT'S the term Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta used when he hired Ime Udoka as head coach in the spring of 2023. Some questioned the fit -- just a year earlier, Udoka had led the Boston Celtics to the NBA Finals, coming within two wins of a championship before being dismissed that summer for violating team rules. Now, he was stepping into a rebuilding situation with the Rockets.

Yet, Udoka -- known for his tough-love approach and defense-first mindset -- was exactly what Fertitta envisioned as the leader of Houston’s next era.

That summer, Houston doubled down on its plan, signing veterans Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks to a combined $210 million over four years. Coming off the worst three-year stretch in franchise history, the decision to invest so heavily in two players -- who, while proven veterans, weren’t perceived as traditional needle-movers -- raised eyebrows. Many questioned the timing, wondering if Houston was making its move too soon while still far from championship contention.

But this was always the vision.

THE ROCKETS DESERVE credit for one of the boldest gambles of the late 2010s, going all in while the rest of the league punted during the Warriors' dynasty. They came agonizingly close to toppling Golden State multiple times, yet they could never get over the hump. And when you push all your chips to the center like that, the downfall is inevitable. Once it was over, it was over. A rebuild was the only way forward.

The James Harden trade in the winter of 2021 marked the official teardown. Former GM Daryl Morey had moved on to Philadelphia, leaving new GM Rafael Stone and Fertitta to strip the roster down to its foundation. Their plan? Endure a few seasons of struggle, stockpile high-upside draft prospects, and then pivot, surrounding those young players with tough, battle-tested veterans who could instill a winning mentality.

Udoka’s arrival was the perfect complement to this approach. His vision aligned seamlessly with Fertitta and Stone’s, creating a rare synergy between ownership, the front office, and the coaching staff. By the end of that pivotal ’23 summer, Udoka was in place, the Rockets signed their veteran leaders, and the foundation for "Phase 2" was set.

The results were immediate. In the 2023-24 season, Houston saw the biggest year-to-year improvement of any team in the league, jumping from 22 wins the season prior to 41 wins, including a dominant 13-2 record in March. Udoka later reflected on how the presence of experienced veterans accelerated the team’s growth in the first season of Phase 2.

"That approach just rubbed off on our whole team immediately," Udoka said. "We can only say so much and teach so much and try to scheme around guys so much. But to have guys out there that do it on a nightly basis, that have carved out their niche in the league with toughness and that edge, that defensive mentality—it was invaluable for our team. We needed it.”

Everyone -- from the front office, to the players and coaches, to the fans -- had to be pleased with how this new era of Rockets basketball started. Heading into the 2024-25 season, both Ime Udoka and team leader Fred VanVleet set the tone at the team's media day, making it clear that the playoffs were now the expectation.

"There are no excuses. We kind of know what it takes a little bit more." – Fred VanVleet

It wasn’t exactly a shocking proclamation. After all, Houston had finished the previous season just one spot out of the Play-In Tournament and was an ascending young team. But while many expected improvement, what has unfolded this season has surpassed even the boldest predictions.

As we stand today, the Rockets are 32-14, good for second in the Western Conference. They own the sixth-best net rating in the league (5.9), fueled by a defense that ranks fourth overall. Winners of 10 of their last 12 games, including statement victories over the Celtics, Nuggets, Cavaliers (twice), and Grizzlies (twice), Houston has become one of the most talked-about teams in the NBA.

And that talk begins with Amen Thompson, who has been nothing short of a revelation for this team. The Rockets have thrived in three key areas -- point-of-attack defense, forcing turnovers, and offensive rebounding -- and Thompson is at the center of all of them.

Thompson is averaging 13.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.5 stocks (steals + blocks), and holds an 61% true shooting percentage, all while being a poor outside shooter. So how is he doing it?

Well, he stands at 6'7 as a 99th percentile athlete with elite feel for the game. He’s a strong ball handler with incredible burst, making him impossible to keep away from the rim no matter how much you sag off. Pair that with elite finishing ability and he becomes a constant threat inside. He’s also an exceptional offensive rebounder for his size and position, further boosting Houston’s ability to generate second-chance points.

He pairs that with being one of the most ridiculous defensive playmakers you've ever seen. His recovery defensively is outstanding, making it impossible to beat him to spots on the court. He has great hands and instincts, making his matchup a turnover waiting to happen. Good luck trying to beat him with a pump fake or a deceleration step, because nobody in this league has a better second jump then Thompson.

Even if you do beat him to the basket, now you've just set yourself to become an Amen Thompson highlight block from behind.

Don't think he’s doing it alone either. Thompson has a defensive playmaking sidekick, forming Houston’s ‘Terror Twins,’ and his name is Tari Eason. While Eason isn’t quite the DPOY-level on-ball defender that his counterpart is, he more then holds his own. His biggest impact however, comes as a help defender, where he’s one of the leagues best from the wing position.

Eason has a knack for making game-changing plays -- flying in out of nowhere for incredible blocks, consistently disrupting passing lanes, and suffocating ball handlers on switches with an intensity that even the best players struggle to handle.

Here's the Terror Twins in action

We also can't forget about Dillon Brooks, the emotional leader of this defensive unit and one of the best individual defenders in the NBA. Together, Thompson, Eason, and Brooks form one of the most fearsome wing defender trios in recent memory.

The numbers back it up. In 369 possessions featuring all three, the Rockets allow just 98.9 points per 100 possessions, 15.6 points better than the league average.

While those three are the defensive playmakers of the group, Houston’s defensive identity runs even deeper. Fred VanVleet and Jabari Smith Jr. are both career plus-defenders, providing stability both on the perimeter and on the wing as mainstays for an elite defense. Steven Adams, the backup center, has anchored good defenses for a decade.

And then comes the biggest success story for Udoka since he’s become the Rockets coach. The job he’s done with Jalen Green and Alpren Sengun, arguably the teams two best offensive players who have been career negatives on defense.

The first challenge was Sengun, whose ability to be an offensive hub is pivotal for the Rockets’ success on that end. But to keep him on the floor in the biggest moments, they needed to find a way to make him a reliable defensive anchor. The problem? He lacked the mobility to switch onto the perimeter and wasn’t long enough to be a traditional drop big.

So Udoka designed a scheme that took pressure off Sengun and allowed his elite wing defenders to do what they do best, disrupt.

"Having him in a traditional center-field drop, whatever you want to call it, which we don't do, is a disadvantage for him," Udoka explained. "And then you couple that with the guards and wings that they had before and some of the guys we have now that didn't do a great job of navigating through screens, and so it was true 2-on-1s coming downhill at him and putting him in a poor position.

"We want our bigs to be up and be a deterrent on the ball initially while keeping the roller in front of him. So we don't put the onus on the big; we do a ton with our guards to fight through and be more physical on the ball."

Here's examples of this concept from the other night.

This adjustment has put Sengun in more comfortable positions to succeed. Last season, the Rockets' defense was 2.0 points per 100 possessions worse with him on the floor. This year, they are 3.5 points better with him in the lineup, holding opponents to just 108 points per 100 possessions, ranking in the 90th percentile among all centers.

The other major project was Green. For Udoka, the issue wasn’t ability, it was effort. He challenged Green from the start, often benching him in crunch time during their first season together when his defensive effort wasn’t up to standard.

Now, Green has embraced the physicality and intensity required on that end. While he might not stand out next to elite defenders like Thompson and Eason, he is no longer a liability leaking value on that end.

After a statement win against the Nuggets on January 16, Green acknowledged Udoka’s influence on his defensive mindset:

"If I wasn’t playing defense, I was gon’ sit down. So, I’m just trying to stay on the floor and earn his trust to play in the big minutes of the fourth quarter.”

What’s the 2025 Playoff Ceiling?

Looking beyond this season, it’s safe to say the sky is the limit for this Rockets group. But the bigger question is: what can they achieve right now?

We’ve seen defense-heavy teams that thrive on turnovers and offensive rebounds struggle in the playoffs when the game slows down and half-court execution becomes paramount. Will the Rockets fall into that trap? It's very difficult to tell considering we have never seen this version of the Rockets even in a play-in game before.

On the surface, their 10th-ranked offense seems solid. But a deeper look raises concerns. They lead the league in offensive rebound percentage (35.9%), an impressive number that has helped sustain their offense. However, maintaining that level of dominance in a playoff series -- against elite scouting and better defensive rebounding teams -- could be challenging.

The bigger issue? Houston ranks just 24th in half-court points per possession, averaging under one point per play. That’s a major red flag for playoff success, where the games slow down, and teams are forced to create against set defenses. It makes sense their half court offense struggles considering they are:

• 26th in effective field goal percentage

• 21st in assist-to-turnover ratio

Sengun, the team’s highest-usage offensive player, has been a fantastic offensive hub and a talented playmaker. But he’s never played in the postseason. A similarly built big man, Domantas Sabonis, struggled against Golden State in the 2023 playoffs, as the Warriors sagged off him completely, daring him to shoot while playing extreme drop coverage against dribble handoffs and pick-and-rolls.

This is a strategy we will likely see teams deploy against Sengun for stretches, and his ability to consistently knock down shots will be put to the test. Without an elite perimeter creator to lean on, Houston will need Sengun to adapt and handle any defensive adjustments thrown his way.

Green is the other key piece, but his efficiency has been a mixed bag. He’s the Rockets’ leading scorer (21.3PPG) and a true game-changer for them when he's cooking. But he can also shoot them out of games just as easily as he can swing them. His 55.6% true shooting percentage is far from ideal for a No. 1 scoring option on a playoff team.

Meanwhile, Point Guard Fred Van Vleet is more of a stable presence or release value on offense than a true offensive engine. He’s had the ball in his hands late in games this season, but historically, the best teams he's played on featured him as more of an off-ball guard in crunch time. Like the rest of Houston’s primary offensive options, he’s an unknown in this role heading into the playoffs.

Ultimately, the big question is whether the Rockets can hit a playoff-worthy offensive baseline while allowing their defense to carry them.

The most recent modern example of a heavily skewed defense-first team winning a championship would be the 2019 Raptors, but that squad also had Kawhi Leonard and far superior perimeter shooting.

There are legitimate concerns, and it’s difficult to see this team making it beyond the Conference Finals at best. However, regardless of how the season ends, this year should be considered an overwhelming success -- Phase 2 was a success, and the future looks as bright has ever in Houston.