Houston Rockets head coach ‘broke down in tears’ following a loss, felt he failed to connect with the team
According to NBA analyst Brian Windhorst, Houston Rockets head coach Stephen Silas broke down in tears after a loss earlier this season.
The Houston Rockets have been on a permanent freefall since the start of the season. The team has multiple young players who have the potential to become superstars in the future but are not yet ready to perform consistently in the NBA. The team is firmly rooted to the bottom of the Western Conference this season and have an 18-58 record.
Silas has been tasked with leading a very difficult rebuild.
There have been some positives this season. Young players have continued to improve and the Houston Rockets’ terrible record means that they stand a chance of getting a lottery pick for the 2023 NBA draft.
The Houston Rockets reportedly have their sights set on Victor Wembanyama, who will be a fitting addition to a young, talented core expected to get better in the coming days.
The team has rallied behind Stephen Silas in recent weeks and continues to support the coach. Still, rumors continue to swirl about a potential sacking of the coach before the start of next season.
The particular game to which the analyst referred after which Silas broke down is unknown, but with the Rockets expected to continue rebuilding at least until the next season, the front office might be concerned.
Stephen Silas ‘broke down in tears’ after a game earlier this year because he felt he couldn't connect with his team, per @WindhorstESPN https://t.co/21dM4ETNSX
Houston Rockets keep struggling in the NBA
The team’s young star in Jalen Green had urged his teammates to continue trying until the end of a woeful season for the Rockets.
Following the loss to the Portland Trail Blazers during which Damian Lillard dropped 71 points, Silas received a call from Green and his message was reportedly “I’m with you.” The team showed some improvement post the defeat, winning 2 of their next 4 games.
However, the Houston Rockets are currently on a 6-game losing streak and firmly in contention for the lottery pick. Still, Silas recently refused to ignore the positives and claimed that the coaching team needs to remain patient:
"That's one of the things I love about this group — when I ask them to do something, they usually try and do it. From my perspective, I'm looking at it from the basketball part, coaching part and competitive part.”
He continued:
"But when you take a step back, you look and say, 'okay, we have a bunch of young kids out there playing their hearts out against guys who are a veteran team. As much as I want to pull them out of it and grow them, I have to be patient."
As frustrated as I’ve seen Stephen Silas. https://t.co/QTZnM34CYM