In the modern NBA, where “load management” and “process over results” often serve as convenient masks for mediocrity, Ime Udoka is a throwback to a more demanding era. When I sat down with the Houston Rockets head coach to take the pulse of his team heading into the second half of the season, the standings told one story: the Rockets are a top-tier Western Conference threat.

But Udoka’s internal barometer told another.

I asked him straight up: Where do you judge your team, and what grade would you give them on the first half?

“C,” Udoka told me without a hint of hesitation. “Somewhere in the middle.”

For a team that has spent the last few seasons fighting for relevance, a “C” might feel like a harsh critique. But in the world of Ime Udoka, a “C” isn’t a failure—it’s a challenge. It’s the gap between being a “good story” and being a “great team.” As the Rockets prepare for the final 29-game sprint, that grade serves as the foundation for what Udoka expects to be a transformative final stretch.

The War on Inconsistency

The Rockets entered the All-Star break in a dogfight for home-court advantage. On paper, they have arrived. But Udoka’s frustration stems from the “how” rather than the “how many.” The Rockets have shown flashes of brilliance, suffocating elite offenses and moving the ball with a fluidity that evokes memories of the 2014 Spurs. Then, they’ll turn around and drop a winnable game by playing down to the level of a lottery-bound opponent.

“We played up and down to the level of our competition a little bit too much at times,” Udoka noted during our conversation. “We want to be consistent no matter who we’re playing.”

This is the hallmark of a young team finding its footing. With a core featuring the offensive wizardry of Alperen Şengün and the athletic ceiling of Amen Thompson, the talent is undeniable. However, Udoka knows that in the Western Conference playoffs, “talent” is just the entry fee. Consistency is the currency that actually buys wins in May and June. To Udoka, a win where the team lacked “proper effort” or drifted away from their defensive principles is almost as frustrating as a loss.

The Health Factor: The “A” Grade Requirement

When I asked what would constitute an “A” at the end of the season, Udoka didn’t point to a specific seed or a trophy. His answer was grounded in the reality of the grind.

“Playing good basketball and being healthy. That’s the main thing,” he said.

The Rockets have been battle-tested by the injury bug this year. Navigating the absence of veteran leadership like Fred VanVleet and the interior presence of Steven Adams has forced Udoka to lean on his “young guns” perhaps earlier than the original blueprint intended. While guys like Reed Sheppard have stepped up, the “A” grade is only achievable if the Rockets can hit the postseason with a full deck.

Udoka pointed back to his experience last season, where the team held the #2 seed but realized that the number next to your name doesn’t matter if the bodies on the floor aren’t 100%. “Regardless of seeding… it doesn’t really matter as far as that,” Udoka insisted. “The big part is being as healthy as we can be and playing the right way.”

The Final 29: A Cultural Test

The “right way” is the Udoka Way: high-intensity defense, selfless ball movement, and an obsession with the details. The Rockets currently rank in the top 10 in defensive rating, a massive leap from the defensive sieve they were just two seasons ago. But for the Rockets to “right the ship,” as Udoka puts it, they have to eliminate the “lumps” that plagued them leading into the All-Star break.

The final 29 games are more than just a race for seeding; they are a psychological test. Can the team maintain his scoring efficiency while adhering to the defensive rotations Udoka demands? Can Şengün continue to facilitate the offense without turning the ball over under the increased pressure of a playoff hunt?

Udoka is betting on the growth he’s seen so far. “It’s not really about the standings,” he told me. “It’s about how we’re playing and the growth we’re showing.”

The Verdict

Ime Udoka isn’t interested in being the “Most Improved” team in the league. He isn’t interested in moral victories. By giving his team a “C,” he is effectively telling his locker room that the honeymoon phase is over.

The Houston Rockets have proven they can compete with the best in the world. Now, they have to prove they can be one of the best in the world, night in and night out. If they can find that elusive consistency and stay out of the trainer’s room, that “C” could very easily turn into an “A” by the time the playoffs roll around.

And in Udoka’s book, an “A” usually comes with a deep run in the spring.