Skid offers another test
Silas admits to ‘sleepless nights’ with team mired in 7-game slump
The two decades Stephen Silas spent as an assistant coach, coming with the foundation of a lifetime spent as the son of an NBA All-Star and coach, would seemingly have prepared him for anything. If it could be seen, it seemed he had seen it.
Then the 2020-21 season stepped up, wishing to have a word.
For all the challenges that come with coaching, the Rockets’ have bounced from relentless to unprecedented, reaching the point that Friday’s home game against the Dallas Mavericks was postponed amid the power and water outages in Houston.
Long before a record-setting winter storm hit Houston, before Silas first blew a whistle as Rockets coach, the season began with offcourt drama. There have been injuries and absences and, finally, the Rockets’ overnight return Thursday morning from a road trip with a seven-game losing streak in tow and no clear idea when their next game could even be played.
A look around offers a reminder that things can be, and in many cases are, much worse. But there remains a job to be done, re
pairs to be made. And if his 20 years of preparation taught Silas anything, it is that when going from one crisis to the next, the key is to keep moving forward.
“There’s some sleepless nights for sure,” Silas said Wednesday, ahead of Friday’s scheduled rematch with the Mavericks, his former team. “Wake up in the middle of the night, jot something down or a different way we could have done things, or whatever.
“Some of it is making sure the guys who are injured are doing what they’re supposed to do. But internally, my nature is to be positive, No. 1, and to be a problem solver, No. 2. So as each guy goes down or as each challenge arises based on our roster or who we’re playing, it’s just my nature to not make it emotional and concentrate on the problem-solving part of it.”
He has had plenty of practice already this season. Even putting aside the more difficult situations that are atypical, such as COVID-19 cases and quarantines and the power and water crises in Texas, the Rockets’ injury travails have been unrelenting.
They went into Wednesday’s matchup in Philadelphia without three starters — Christian Wood, Victor Oladipo and P.J. Tucker — and two players in position to start — Jae’Sean Tate and Eric Gordon — game-time decisions.
Wood, the Rockets’ leading scorer, shooter, 3-point shooter, rebounder and shot blocker, is not close to returning, and the Rockets have gone 0-7 since he sprained his right ankle. Even the center the Rockets signed to fill in, Ray Spalding, went out after two games and was waived.
With a 3 a.m. arrival Thursday in Houston, there was no practice while the team monitored whether Friday’s game against the Mavericks and Saturday’s against the Pacers could even be played. Friday’s postponement at least means no guards should have to sit out if Saturday’s game is a go.
As much as Silas might have wanted to scream on some occasions — including at halftime of Wednesday’s loss in Philadelphia, where the Rockets were “lackadaisical” and voices likely were raised before the team brought a 29-point deficit down to four — he has found it better to focus on the search for solutions.
“It seems to help because if I were super, super emotional about it, it would be crushing me right now,” Silas said. “On some level, it definitely is. Not having our group and, obviously, without Christian, we haven’t won. That is disappointing. But my disappointment or emotions when it comes to the group, that doesn’t help them.
“I’ve got to do whatever it takes to help them and solve the problems that come, unfortunately, for us, this group, on a daily basis.”
The Rockets hope Wednesday’s comeback will help with that. They saw what they can do, even when so shorthanded, if the energy and intensity are cranked up. They also suffered through the indignity of getting stomped for a half on national television when that doesn’t happen.
“We use every game as a learning experience, as a teaching time,” Silas said. “We will use this as an example of what we can do when we put forth the effort. (The 76ers) had 22 points in transition in the first half. What I told the team was, ‘Hey, getting back in transition has nothing to do with talent, has nothing to do with scheme, has nothing to do with anything but putting forth the effort to get back.’ ”
The Rockets allowed three transition points in the second half.
They had 13 turnovers in the first half, leading to 24 Philadelphia points. The Sixers had 15 turnovers in the second half, leading to 25 Rockets points. That will lead to a turnaround. The hope is that it leads to more than one good but ultimately failed comeback bid.
“We’re going to learn from this experience moving into next week,” Silas said.
Add it to the long list of this season’s experiences.