Rockets: LeBron James Tells Ime Udoka To Not Use the B-Word Loosely in Viral Moment
In a Saturday night showdown between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Houston Rockets, tensions escalated as Lakers' superstar LeBron James and Rockets' head coach Ime Udoka engaged in a testy exchange, ultimately resulting in each party receiving a technical foul.
Ime Udoka faced a more severe consequence as the technical issue he faced marked his second of the game, leading to an automatic ejection from the match, according to Lakers Daily.
This angle of the LeBron-Udoka exchange 👀 (via unitedlife4ever/TT) pic.twitter.com/w0edFgn8Tb
— Overtime (@overtime) December 3, 2023
A recently surfaced angle sheds light on the exchange, providing insight into the words shared between James and Udoka before the Rockets coach's expulsion.
"We all grown men," James appeared to express. "That b-word ain't cool, don't use it so loosely. Don't use that word so loosely. Nah, don't use it so loosely, though. Don't use it so loosely," he added.
Udoka had to exit the game for the final 8:35 of the fourth quarter, during which the Rockets were unable to close the gap, resulting in a 107-97 victory for the Lakers.
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What Triggered the Verbal Spat?
The verbal altercation originated from LeBron James' perception of a traveling violation involving Rockets' big man Alperen Sengun.
Allegedly, Udoka's initial comment to James was, "Y'all got to stop with all the b-ching, man!"
Responding to James, Udoka continued, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, I can. What does it matter what I think? Worry bout ya own self, soft a- little boy."
This exchange led to a double technical foul and Udoka's ejection from the game, as per Heavy.
The Rockets found themselves trailing 93-78 when the heated confrontation unfolded.
However, rather than inspiring a comeback, Udoka's ejection backfired as the Lakers secured the win, improving their record to 12-9, while the Rockets suffered their third consecutive loss, landing at 8-9 for the season.
LeBron James' and Ime Udoka's Responses After the Incident
When questioned by reporters about the nature of their conversation, LeBron James seemed keen to avoid the topic.
He humorously deflected, stating that they discussed their love for Thanksgiving, YARDBARKER noted.
Pressed further, James insisted, "Thanksgiving. How much we enjoy Thanksgiving. Yeah, it was."
In contrast, Ime Udoka maintained a cryptic stance regarding the conversation.
"We had some conversation, and they didn't like what they heard," the Rockets' head coach stated.
Notably, Ime Udoka also took a swipe at the Lakers during his postgame press conference, expressing disappointment at being "punked" by a team not known for physicality, Fox News reports.
In his first season with the Rockets, Ime Udoka brings a fresh perspective after his tenure with the Boston Celtics.
While the Rockets show signs of growth under his leadership, there is acknowledgment that more work lies ahead for the team to reclaim its status as a formidable force in the NBA.
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This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Bert Hoover
WATCH: Udoka was ejected after having words with LeBron - From Bleacher Report
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