The Houston Rockets should play up to their aggressive nature in their first-round series against the Golden State Warriors, so says Ime Udoka.

Tempers threatened to boil over as the Rockets levelled the series with a 109-94 victory in Game 2 on Wednesday.

Six technicals and one flagrant foul were called across the game, with the Warriors' Draymond Green also targetted with explicit chants from sections of the Toyota Center crowd.

Rockets coach Udoka, though, is happy to embrace the chaos.

"If it gets chippy, we've seen over the last two years that's worked in our favor for the most part, gets us amped up," Udoka said, as reported by ESPN.

"But when you have a lead, [and you're] up 20, and things start to happen, you understand why. That's kind of the last resort by teams. You've got to keep your composure at that point and just stay calm.

"That's who we are. It's our identity for the most part. Like I said at the start of the playoffs: We don't have to flip a switch and try to get tough or get more aggressive. So, that carries over into the playoffs."

Jalen left his mark in Game 2 

38 PTS | 6 AST | 4 REB | 3 STL @MemorialHermann | #Liftoff pic.twitter.com/VgTOlRwS2e

— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) April 24, 2025

At one stage, Fred VanVleet and Green clashed near the Rockets' bench, leading to Houston's Tari Eason throwing a towel towards the duo.

Udoka feels Eason went a bit too far, but he knows that kind of feistiness can also be a key strength.

"I don't mind it. It's good for us. It's who we kind of are, minus the towel throw. You'd like to keep your composure at that point," he said.

"But it's what we've built ourselves on, the identity, and everybody's bought into that. It makes us who we are. So, I think our guys all kind of thrive on that.

"We've just got to keep our composure, especially when you've got a lead."

For his part, Eason conceded he could have kept his cool.

"I'd say my emotions just got the best of me," Eason said. "In between the lines, you've just got to keep it basketball.

"I'm going to just be better for my team moving forward in controlling my emotions. I know that with some of the guys they have over there, their thing is to kind of try to beat you mentally. If you know basketball, basketball is 90% mental."

Warriors coach Steve Kerr, meanwhile, was not impressed with the antics of those in the crowd who directed chants at Green.

"Draymond, he's been around forever," Kerr said. "He's an instigator. He's always going to be in the mix and because of his career, his championships, his fire.

"He's going to be a lightning rod, and that's all part of it.

"I would prefer if fans could use a little more discretion and remember the guy has kids. I don't know, maybe I'm old school.

"But I'm all for fans cheering for their team and if they want to yell at the opponents, great. But I just think 'F you' is a little much."