How Celtics reacted to playing against Ime Udoka for 1st time

BOSTON — When Rockets coach Ime Udoka was announced to the TD Garden crowd Saturday, there was a blend of boos and applause. There were some mixed emotions from the fans, naturally, for the former C’s coach who was unceremoniously suspended-then-dismissed last seasons.

But when it comes to the actual players, there was nothing but love for their former coach. On the current C’s roster, seven players played under Udoka: Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Al Horford, Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, Luke Kornet and Sam Hauser. When asked about seeing Udoka after the C’s win over the Rockets, there was nothing but respect for the former coach despite the abrupt ending.

“I’ve known them forever since I’ve been a little kid,” Pritchard said of Udoka and the Rockets staff. “They’re from Portland (Oregon) where I’m from, so I’ve been around them since I’ve been a little one. I’ve been around the game with them, so I will always have a close connection with them.”

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“Yeah, I got a chance to see him,” Tatum said. “I got a chance to talk to him. Haven’t seen him since, maybe it was at (Marcus) Smart’s wedding? So it was just good to see him again and all the other guys on the staff.”

Udoka himself didn’t have too much to say pregame about being back in Boston. He said he’s kept in touch with multiple former players, along with seeing them at Smart’s wedding over the summer. After the game, when asked if he was glad to get Saturday’s game over with, Udoka said he didn’t care too much.

While Udoka only spent one season in Boston, leading the C’s to a 51-31 record and the NBA Finals, he made an impression on multiple members of the roster. Brown praised Udoka for “empowering” them, allowing them to grow as players during an impressionable time.

Now, the teams will go their separate ways after a reunion of sorts Saturday. There wasn’t too much awkwardness between the two sides, though Udoka saw plenty of familiar faces. The C’s and Rockets do meet again Jan. 21, but this time that’ll be in Houston.

“It was cool, you know what I mean,” Brown said. “Anytime you get into bump into familiar faces, friends. It was great to see Ime, it was great to see the guys on the coaching staff who we was in the Finals and the trenches with. It’s good to see those guys, spent a lot of time with them, watching film, things like that. That relationship is always going to be there.”