Ime Udoka blasts referees after controversial late call leads to overtime loss for Rockets in Denver

Udoka called Zach Zarba 'star struck' and said the other two 'have no business being out there'

The Houston Rockets came seconds away from a huge win on the road against the Denver Nuggets, but some officiating drama sent the game to overtime, where the Nuggets pulled out a 128-125 victory. 

The win kept Denver in second in the West, while the loss dropped Houston all the way to the fifth spot in the extremely competitive top of the standings. After the game, Rockets coach Ime Udoka got asked about the officiating and didn't hesitate to torch the crew of Zach Zarba (crew chief), Natalie Sago and JD Ralls. 

"Just in general, I think as poorly officiated a game I've seen in a long time," Udoka said. "Two have no business being out there and the crew chief was acting star struck. So, you're seeing all kinds of inconsistent calls and I'm sure we should've gotten a few more techs."

There were a number of calls during the game that Udoka wasn't pleased with, but the most controversial one came in the closing seconds when Amen Thompson got called for a foul after he and Tim Hardaway Jr. got their legs tangled up. Udoka challenged the call, thinking surely it'd be overturned on review for incidental contact, but Zarba upheld the foul, citing contact between Thompson's shin and Hardaway's leg that caused him to go to the ground. 

With 2.3 seconds remaining in regulation, Amen Thompson fouls Tim Hardaway Jr. with his left shin prior to inbound (with replays).

Upon coach's challenge the call stands, and Jamal Murray sinks the free throw that sent the game to OT pic.twitter.com/CYIQJ3T8As

— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) December 16, 2025

That gave Denver one free throw and the ball in a one-point game, with Jamal Murray sinking the free throw to tie the game and force overtime -- after Nikola Jokić rimmed out a game-winning 3-point attempt. In overtime, the Nuggets darted out to a quick lead and never relinquished it, with some more calls and no-calls down the stretch that frustrated the Rockets. 

After the way the game ended, Udoka wasn't in much of a mood to hold back on officiating he felt wasn't up to the level of the basketball being played. You don't often hear a coach say two refs flat out shouldn't be out there, and doing that while also calling Zarba "star struck" in the way he called the game for Jokić will certainly not sit well with the league. 

A fine is almost assuredly coming for Udoka, but he wanted to deliver a message to his team that they don't need to change the way they play because of how that game was officiated, telling the Rockets, "Keep being who we are, we're not going to adjust to poor officials."