Coach Ime Udoka agreed to a contract extension with the Houston Rockets, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Thursday.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal hadn’t been announced. No details on contract were available.

The move comes after Udoka led the Rockets to the second-best record in the Western Conference this season and their first playoff berth since the 2019-20 season. Houston made a remarkable turnaround in his two seasons in charge after being among the worst teams in the NBA the three seasons before his hiring.

The Rockets, who won just 42 games combined in the two seasons before Udoka was hired, went 41-41 in his first season before going 52-30 this season for their first winning record since 2019-20. Houston lost to the Golden State Warriors in seven games in the first round of the playoffs this season.

Udoka led the Boston Celtics to the NBA Finals in 2022, then was suspended for the following season after the disclosure of an inappropriate relationship with a female Celtics employee.

The 47-year-old was hired in April 2023 to replace Stephen Silas, who was fired after three losing seasons.

Haliburton in for pacers

Tyrese Haliburton started for the Indiana Pacers in Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night while still dealing with a strained right calf.

Haliburton has been dealing with lower leg issues throughout the series and the calf strain flared up in Game 5 on Monday night. He played through it for the final three quarters of that loss to the Thunder, though he basically stopped looking to shoot in the second half.

Haliburton finished that game with four points — all from the foul line — along with seven rebounds and six assists.

“There’s no set minutes limit,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said Thursday before Game 6. “We will watch and monitor things very closely ... and we’ll go from there.”

Carlisle said Haliburton went through a walkthrough Thursday afternoon along with strength testing, passing all necessary checks. So, with the Pacers facing elimination in Game 6 and down 3-2 in the title series, Haliburton — who was on the court and did some shooting not long before Carlisle announced the decision — gave it a shot. He made a free throw and a 3-pointer in the fourth quarter.

The Thunder expected Haliburton to play.

“He’s a great player,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “If there’s one thing we know, you don’t underestimate great players. In this situation, we’re expecting his best punch. Indiana is a great team. We’re expecting their best punch. I have no doubt he’s dealing with stuff, but we’re expecting him to come out and play like a great player would play. We have to prepare for that. That’s how you maintain full respect of the opponent.”

Haliburton acknowledged Wednesday that, if this was the regular season, he likely wouldn’t be attempting to play through such an injury.

“I think I have to be as smart as I want to be,” Haliburton said. “Have to understand the risks, ask the right questions. I’m a competitor. I want to play. I’m going to do everything in my power to play. That’s just what it is.”

Haliburton is averaging 17.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and a league-best 9.1 assists per game during the playoffs. He has averaged 15 points, 6.2 rebounds and 7.2 assists per games in the finals.