ESPN’s Brian Windhorst has retracted comments he made in an article Tuesday that said Houston Rockets head coach Stephen Silas «broke down in tears» because he felt he couldn’t connect with his players.
The report stated that Silas, going through a third straight season in which the Rockets are bottom compared to others in the league, had an emotional moment after a game in which he felt he was not connecting with his team. .
However, Windhorst issued an apology on Twitter after saying he was confused about a different time during the 2021 campaign.
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Houston Rockets head coach Stephen Silas looks on during the first half against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on March 27, 2023 in New York City. (Elsa/Getty Images)
«Sadly I made a mistake in today’s story about Stephen Silas breaking down in tears after a game this season,» Windhorst wrote. «It was inaccurate, I mixed up details of an emotional press conference in 2021.»
After two seasons as the worst team in the league, the Rockets’ 18-58 record is the second worst in the league right now. Windhorst’s initial report stated that during a difficult stretch, the season was weighing heavily on Silas.
«Houston lost 18 of 19 games at one point and 11 games in a row during another stretch,» Windhorst wrote. “At one point, Silas broke down in tears after a game because he felt like he couldn’t get to his players. One of the team’s then-veterans, Eric Gordon, said in January that there is «no improvement» in summing up the Rockets’ state. – not ideal for a young player trying to find positivity in the early fights.»
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The Rockets have young talent on their roster, including Jalen Green, who was the second overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. He led the way with an average of 22.0 points per game, while others like Kevin Porter Jr. added 18.5 points and Jabari. Smith Jr., Houston’s third overall pick in last year’s NBA Draft, did well with 12.6 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game while shooting 40.6% from the field.
But, as Gordon mentioned, he doesn’t feel like any progress has been made despite the young talent Houston possesses.
Head Coach Stephen Silas of the Houston Rockets high fives with Jalen Green #4 during the game against the New Orleans Pelicans on March 17, 2023 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. (Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images)
It’s been that way since the franchise began transitioning to a rebuild, which came just before James Harden wanted out. Harden was eventually traded to the Brooklyn Nets, putting the Rockets in a complete rebuild mode.
However, with veterans like John Wall publicly calling the Rockets a «trash» organization while posting the worst record in the league over the past two seasons, it’s not a good look for Houston.
One of the reasons the Rockets don’t have a better record is their lack of defense, which Silas has spoken about at length in his postgame announcements.
«They’re not giving the effort on the defensive end,» he said at one point.
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The stats also prove it with a defensive rating of 119.0 which ranks 29th in the NBA. The Rockets also rank 29th in the league in points scored per game at 110.4.
Perhaps the Rockets can get their young talent to connect better on both ends of the floor, but this season is another wash as owner Tilman Fertitta has been thinking about the first overall pick and the possibility of drafting the superstar from France Victor Wembanyama.
Head coach Stephen Silas of the Houston Rockets is seen during the game against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on March 9, 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
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Entering Tuesday, Silas’s career record as a head coach with the Rockets is 55-175.