Outburst against Ime Udoka's referees: "The worst officiating I have seen in a long time"

Ime Udoka, coach of the Houston Rockets, was very critical of the officiating after his team's 128-125 overtime loss to the Denver Nuggets in a game played on Monday night. The coach described the game as "the worst officiating I've seen in a long time," following a match heavily influenced by referees' decisions.

The game was officiated very strictly, with 59 free throws attempted between both teams. Additionally, both Denver's centers, Nikola Jokic and Jonas Valanciunas, fouled out. The most crucial play came with 2.3 seconds left in regulation time, with the Nuggets trailing 117-116. Before Denver inbounded for the final possession, Amen Thompson was called for a foul away from the ball for seemingly impeding Tim Hardaway Jr. Houston challenged the call, but the decision stood, and Jamal Murray sank the free throw to force overtime.

Udoka expressed his displeasure further after the game, pointing out referees Natalie Sago and Jamahl Ralls, along with crew chief Zach Zarba, and criticizing the lack of consistency in officiating throughout the game. The final stretch of regulation was particularly intense, with four ties and four lead changes in the last 1:40.

Decisive Overtime

In overtime, Denver went up 124-117 after a Spencer Jones three-pointer with 2:59 remaining, but Houston rallied and closed the gap to just three points with the ball and 13 seconds left. Alperen Sengun missed a tipped three-pointer from 24 feet with 4.9 seconds left, allowing the Nuggets to secure the win.

From the Denver locker room, Jamal Murray downplayed the officiating controversy, noting that in a physical game, it's difficult for decisions to be identical for both sides and acknowledging errors in both directions.

Nikola Jokic delivered a standout performance with 39 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists, achieving his twelfth triple-double of the season, the most in the NBA. Murray added 35 points, shooting an excellent 14 of 15 from the free-throw line.

On Houston's side, Sengun led the team with 33 points, 10 assists, and 10 rebounds, securing his first triple-double of the season. Kevin Durant contributed 25 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds, and 5 blocks, in a night that marked the Rockets' third consecutive road loss.

Denver faced the game with significant absences, as Aaron Gordon (hamstring) and Christian Braun (ankle) were unavailable, and Peyton Watson had to exit just six minutes into the first quarter due to a right trunk contusion.

With this victory, the Nuggets remain alone in the second spot in the Western Conference with a record of 19-6, four and a half games behind the leading Oklahoma City Thunder.