Latest news with #JourneytoLiftoff
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Practice interviews: Rockets make final playoff preparations for Game 1 versus Warriors
For a fourth consecutive day in advance of the 2025 NBA playoffs, the Rockets practiced Saturday at their new training center near Houston's West Loop. Saturday's practice was the final one before their best-of-seven, first-round series (schedule) against Golden State begins on Sunday night inside Houston's Toyota Center. Advertisement 'If it's anything like our (NBA Cup) game against Golden State, it's gonna be freaking lit,' veteran center Steven Adams said of the potential atmosphere for the franchise's first home playoff game since May 2019. 'It's going to be turned up. That was ridiculous. That atmosphere was amazing.' Golden State (48-34, No. 7 in Western Conference) won four fewer games than the Rockets (52-30, No. 2 in West) during the regular season, which is why Houston holds home-court advantage. The Warriors did win three of five head-to-head versus the Rockets, though Houston won two of the final three. After the opening two games at Toyota Center, the next two games of the best-of-seven series will shift to San Francisco's Chase Center, as part of the NBA's 2-2-1-1-1 format. Should further games be necessary in order for one side to reach four wins and advance, a hypothetical Game 5 and Game 7 would be in Houston, while a Game 6 would be at Golden State. Because the Rockets practiced fairly intensely over the previous three days, Saturday's practice was shorter and lighter in nature as the team works to be in optimal condition for Sunday's Game 1. Advertisement By day, per Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle, Wednesday's practice focus was overall personnel; Thursday's was Houston's offense versus the Golden State defense; Friday's was Houston's defense versus the Warriors' offense; and Saturday's emphasis was on situational items, such as late-game sequences and after-timeout plays (ATOs). Head coach Ime Udoka did reveal that veteran forward Jae'Sean Tate (ankle) and center Jock Landale (knee) would be medically unavailable to start the series. Tate injured his ankle in the final week of the 2024-25 regular season, while Landale banged knees at one of this week's practices. Their precise return timetables are not yet known, though neither was expected to feature in Houston's playing rotation for the playoffs, anyway. Complete interviews are available for viewing below, along with select practice footage. Steven Adams Tari Eason Ime Udoka Saturday's Practice Footage More: 'Journey to Liftoff': On eve of playoff return, Rockets release feature film This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Interviews: Tari Eason, Steven Adams, Ime Udoka on Rockets-Warriors
USA Today
19-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Practice interviews: Rockets make final playoff preparations for Game 1 versus Warriors
Practice interviews: Rockets make final playoff preparations for Game 1 versus Warriors Saturday's practice was the final one for the Rockets before Sunday's Game 1 of their first-round playoff series versus Golden State. Steven Adams, Tari Eason, and Ime Udoka shared their thoughts. For a fourth consecutive day in advance of the 2025 NBA playoffs, the Rockets practiced Saturday at their new training center near Houston's West Loop. Saturday's practice was the final one before their best-of-seven, first-round series (schedule) against Golden State begins on Sunday night inside Houston's Toyota Center. The team will hold a brief gameday morning shootaround session at its practice facility. 'If it's anything like our (NBA Cup) game against Golden State, it's gonna be freaking lit,' veteran center Steven Adams said of the potential atmosphere for the franchise's first home playoff game since May 2019. 'It's going to be turned up. That was ridiculous. That atmosphere was amazing.' Golden State (48-34, No. 7 in Western Conference) won four fewer games than the Rockets (52-30, No. 2 in West) during the regular season, which is why Houston holds home-court advantage. The Warriors did win three of five head-to-head meetings versus the Rockets, though Houston won two of the final three. After the opening two games at Toyota Center, the next two games of the series will shift to San Francisco's Chase Center, as part of the NBA's 2-2-1-1-1 format. Should further games be necessary in order for one side to reach four wins and advance, a hypothetical Game 5 and Game 7 would be in Houston, while a Game 6 would be at Golden State. Because the Rockets practiced fairly intensely over the previous three days, Saturday's practice was shorter and lighter in nature as the team works to be in optimal condition for Sunday's Game 1. By day, per Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle, Wednesday's practice focus was overall personnel; Thursday's was Houston's offense versus the Golden State defense; Friday's was Houston's defense versus the Warriors' offense; and Saturday's emphasis was on situational items, such as late-game sequences and after-timeout plays (ATOs). Head coach Ime Udoka did reveal that veteran forward Jae'Sean Tate (ankle) and center Jock Landale (knee) would be unavailable to start the series. Tate injured his ankle in the final week of the 2024-25 regular season, while Landale banged knees at one of this week's practices. Their precise return timetables are not yet known, though neither was expected to feature in Houston's playing rotation for the playoffs, anyway. Complete interviews are available for viewing below, along with select practice footage. Steven Adams Tari Eason Ime Udoka Saturday's Practice Footage More: 'Journey to Liftoff': On eve of playoff return, Rockets release feature film
USA Today
19-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
‘Journey to Liftoff': On eve of playoff return, Rockets release feature film
'Journey to Liftoff': On eve of playoff return, Rockets release feature film On the eve of their first NBA playoff game in five years, the Rockets released a film titled 'The Journey to Liftoff,' which chronicles the path back. On Saturday, the Rockets released an original feature titled 'The Journey to Liftoff.' Dating back to the 2020-21 season, the film details the step-by-step journey of the recent rebuilding years and Houston's return to the NBA playoffs in 2025. Houston's upcoming first-round series versus Golden State, which starts Sunday night, will be the team's first playoff appearance since the 2019-20 season. For key young players drafted during those rebuilding years, it will be their first exposure to playoff basketball. 'We came in together, went through the struggle together, were at the bottom together,' Rockets guard Jalen Green, who leads Houston in scoring, said during the film of his relationship with All-Star center Alperen Sengun. Both fourth-year players were drafted in the 2021 first round. In a post promoting the film on the team's Instagram account, the Rockets listed key moments from their rebuilding timeline as follows: Jae'Sean Tate acquired (November 2020) Jalen Green drafted (July 2021) Alperen Sengun drafted (July 2021) Jabari Smith Jr. drafted (June 2022) Tari Eason drafted (June 2022) Coach Ime Udoka hired (April 2023) Amen Thompson drafted (June 2023) Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, and Jeff Green acquired (July 2023) "Sometimes you, sometimes me, always us," Brooks says of Houston's approach under Udoka. "It could be your night, one night, and not the next night. But what can you still do to provide for the team? Everybody is going to have their moment." Udoka, Brooks, Green, Sengun, and numerous other players were took part in exclusive interviews for the film. "It's always about the end result, which is winning and playing team basketball, unselfish basketball," Udoka said in his interview. The complete film can be viewed below. More: Rockets-Warriors predictions: How NBA analysts view the 2025 playoff showdown
