Former coach Silas: I'm proud of what the Rockets have come to where they are today I may have played a small part

Two weeks ago, the Rockets locked in their first NBA playoff spot in five years, and it's time to look at it holistically. One person who also needs to look back on this journey is former head coach Stephen Silas. On April 17, Beijing time, The Athletic released a phone interview with Silas, in which he talked about the Rockets, proud of the players' achievements so far, and said that he may have played a small role in it.

Silas coached the Rockets from 2020 to 2023, a tumultuous time in the Rockets' recent history. The 51-year-old coach took over a squad of inexperienced players at the height of the pandemic. He is still relieved to see his successor, Udoka, lead the team to the playoffs.

"It's a feeling of pride," Silas said in a recent phone conversation.I'm incredibly proud of those players。 I am very excited and happy to see them come all the way from the past to where they are today. We've had a lot of adversity, a lot of failures and lows. But I'm really happy to see those players come through and Ime [Udoka] has led the team so well. ”

Silas took over the reins before the start of the 2020-21 season, believing that as D'Antoni's successor, he would be tasked with building an innovative offensive system with Harden and Westbrook at its core. But shortly after Silas' arrival, Westbrook was traded to the Wizards, and Harden eventually left the Rockets to shoot the Nets. The following offseason, the Rockets drafted Green and Shin Kyung, and Silas became the representative of the Rockets' rebuild.

It soon became realised that for a coach with a predominantly veteran coach, leading a group of youngsters with little unpolished and inexperienced players, it was an awkward combination at best. During Silas' three seasons at the helm, the Rockets ranked among the bottom five in the league in offensive and defensive efficiency, and were unable to show quality performance on the court.

The atmosphere in the team's dressing room was tense, with not only the players having multiple disagreements with each other, but also the players and members of the coaching staff – the latter leading to the internal suspensions of Kevin Porter Jr. and Christian Wood. Gordon, a veteran of the NBA, is most unhappy with the current state of the team, often complaining about the team's lack of discipline and tactical system, which is blamed on Silas.

Over the next three seasons, the Houston Rockets lost 177 games, two of which were bottom of the Western Conference. Ultimately, the Rockets' management felt the need to take the team down a different path and was desperate to turn things around.

The Rockets' biggest problem is the lack of leadership around their young core players, which is in stark contrast to the team coached by Udoka. Despite Silas' vast experience — he's been largely responsible for building efficient offensive systems at Dallas, Charlotte, and several other teams — the lack of a suitable mix of veterans around a young core has taken its toll on the team.

VanVleet, Dillon and Adams have played a big role for the Rockets this season, and players like Aaron Holiday and Jeff Green have also been consistent when they are sent on the floor. But the professionalism they collectively demonstrated was a potential factor in the Rockets' success.

"It's really hard to get all the young players to play together," Sellars said, "but it's the process they have to go through to get to where they are today. I enjoy teaching them, being with them every day, watching game tapes, training sessions and having dinner together – all these things that we do together as a team. Seeing how much they've grown since I left...... It wasn't always going to be that way. But they found the right players to surround the young players. It is very important to have people they can look up to.

"It's not even just verbal instruction. It's about leading by example, showing resilience, defensive awareness and the importance of every attacking opportunity. Having the right person in the locker room will definitely help. ”

Silas is pleased to see that the four players who entered the regular rotation during his tenure are still an important part of the team under Udoka, and he is even more enthusiastic when it comes to Green and Shin Kyung. It's not uncommon for assistant coaches to study game footage with players on Udoka's coaching staff, but Silas has taken on the responsibility of teaching himself, often seeing him with a laptop in his lap and Green sitting next to him.

For Shin Kyung, Silas' approach is slightly different. From the very beginning,Silas has set the bar high for the young Turkish centre-forward (especially defensively).。 In some extreme cases, such as having Wood and Fernando start before Shin Kyung, Silas hopes to use that to motivate Shin Kyung. butOne thing Silas always emphasizes when talking about Shin Kyung is that he can't tolerate Shin Kyung's lack of effort because he knows Shin Kyung is a very talented player。 This season, Shin Kyung was named to the All-Star team for the first time, cementing his position as a top center in the NBA, shedding the defensive leakage label that plagued him early in his career.

"It's about getting him to understand what it takes to be a starting center in the NBA," Silas said, "and try to use all of his talent and expand his game." I'm incredibly proud of him and proud of what he's achieved and how he's grown – especially on the defensive end. He is able to anticipate what is about to happen and react in advance. ”

The Rockets will face the Warriors in the first round of the playoffs. There are still concerns about the Rockets' competitiveness in the playoffs, especially given their lack of experience, inconsistent outside shooting, and lack of real number one offensive options. But Silas doesn't think the team exists just to cause an upset. What he sees is a team that is good at controlling rebounds, and the Rockets lead the league in offensive rebounds (14.6 per game) this season, similar to Silas' final season in charge (13.4 per game in 2023). But perhaps more importantly, Silas understands the Rockets' defense, a team that has been ranked in the top three in the league all season, is physical, dangerous and cooperative.

"What I'm seeing is definitely a united team," Silas said, "a team that's defense-centric." Udoka has done an excellent job of making these players realize the importance of defending and how it can lead them to where they are. The leadership of the veterans relieves some of the pressure on the younger players, allowing them to focus on their tasks and having experienced people to guide them. Stone has done an excellent job of picking the right players and finding the right helpers around the young players. It's really great. ”

Silas was excited to talk about basketball, and he also talked about his recent experience with the U.S. team and his conversations with players who, like him, are looking for their next home. But every topic revolves around Team Rocket. He is still grateful for his time in Houston. While waiting for his next opportunity, he will be cheering on the Rockets in the playoffs.

“I think I played a little bit of a role"I don't know how big of a role this is." They may be better able to answer this question than I am. But I try to do things the right way. I try to develop those players, teach them the right way to do things and fight against adversity. It was a very difficult time. But for them, it all paid off. So I'm grateful for the time I spent with them. ”