Western Notes: Udoka, LeBron, Borrego, Pelicans, Thunder

It was a frustrating Monday night in Chicago for Rockets head coach Ime Udoka, who watched his team lose 132-124 to the lottery-bound Bulls and was ejected late in the fourth quarter for arguing with the referees about flagrant and technical foul decisions, per Varun Shankar of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required).

“Flagrant was soft as hell, that’s nothing. And the techs were soft, too,” Udoka said of a flagrant foul called on Amen Thompson and techs assigned to Thompson and Kevin Durant. “Not about to complain about a soft crew, so it is what it is.”

While Udoka wasn’t thrilled about the officiating in Chicago, he was more displeased by the effort he saw from his team. Houston gave up 41 points and fell behind by 20 in the first quarter to a Bulls squad that had posted the NBA’s second-worst offensive rating since the All-Star break.

“Poor start, disrespected the game. Not prepared from the get-go,” Udoka said. “Just not aggressive, following around, watching them shoot. … You look at the records, you look at who you’re playing against … and don’t come out prepared and let them be comfortable, gain confidence.”

We have more from around the Western Conference:

• Although the Lakers had their nine-game winning streak snapped on Monday in Detroit, LeBron James has been thriving lately as the NBA’s “best third option,” according to Sam Amick of The Athletic, who wonders if the star forward could end up remaining in Los Angeles beyond this season. There was a sense entering the fall that James might have to head elsewhere if he wanted to continue his career beyond 2025/26, with Amick noting that the Cavaliers and Warriors have been frequently speculated as suitors. However, the Lakers’ recent stretch of success suggests they may have more championship upside than previously believed and could still have a place for James in his new-look role alongside Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
• Has James Borrego earned the full-time head coaching job in New Orleans? Management likely won’t make that decision until after the season, but Rod Walker of NOLA.com (subscription required) notes that Borrego has made a strong case since replacing Willie Green earlier this season. The Pelicans are 12-7 since the trade deadline, with nine double-digit wins during that stretch. “With the coaching change, (Borrego) just came in and tried to turn it around,” Pelicans forward Herbert Jones said. “We were in a bad spot. He just changed it with his energy and encouraged guys to show up every day with energy and be themselves and continue to cheer the guy next to you and not worry about self-accomplishments.”
• As Jeff Duncan writes in a separate NOLA.com story, the Pelicans have unveiled plans for a significant renovation project for Smoothie King Center. The hope is that the renovation will be the linchpin of an agreement to extend the team’s lease at the arena — the current deal expires in 2029.
• Elsewhere on the arena front, the Thunder announced today in a press release that their new arena, projected to open for the 2028/29 season, will be called the Continental Coliseum.