Stephen Silas’s body language said it all.
Even with the Houston Rockets coach wearing a mask, he could not hide his objection after losing in the Rockets’ 20th straight game.
After the team lost to the Thunder were asked if the Rockets were feeling the weight of all the damage, Silas cleaned his hands on his forehead and took about 10 seconds to respond.
“Yes,” answered a crestfallen Silas.
Silas eventually secured his first NBA head coaching job after 20 years as an assistant coach or while scout for six different franchises.
What seemed likely was that one of the more desirable coaching positions in basketball quickly deteriorated. The Rockets, under new general manager Rafael Stone, traded Russell Westbrook to the Wizards for John Wall in December, when Westbrook said he was wanted out of town.
James Harden made a trade request of his own, and after camping late and playing eight games for the Rockets, he signed him to a four blockbuster team in the Nets, with Houston getting Victor Oladipo.
In exactly the same way, the Rockets had two NBA MVPs. Although a team with Wall and Oladipo could compete, Houston was 11–10 to 11–30 on Monday, the NBA’s second-worst performance.
“We have no choice but to choose and work hard and learn and grow,” Silas said.
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