Houston Rockets coach Stephen Silas was absent from Sunday’s upset win over the Milwaukee Bucks as he and his household proceed to grieve the lack of his father, former NBA All-Star Paul Silas.
The 79-year-old former energy ahead and head coach died Saturday from cardiac arrest, his household instructed The New York Occasions. The Boston Globe first reported Paul Silas’ passing.
Led by assistant coach John Lucas, one other former NBA participant and head coach, Stephen’s younger Rockets roster topped two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks, 97-92. Afterwards, Lucas devoted the win to Stephen: ‘That is for Coach. That one’s for him.’
Houston Rockets coach Stephen Silas (pictured, proper, in 2011) was absent from Sunday’s upset win over the Milwaukee Bucks as he and his household proceed to grieve the lack of his father, former NBA All-Star Paul Silas (image, left, as head coach of the Charlotte Bobcats)
Led by assistant coach John Lucas (left), one other former NBA participant and head coach, Stephen’s younger Rockets roster topped two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks, 97-92. Afterwards, Lucas devoted the win to Stephen: ‘That is for Coach. That one’s for him’
It is nonetheless not recognized how lengthy Stephen will likely be gone for the Rockets, however he and his household had been definitely on the minds of attendees at Sunday’s recreation in Houston.
The workforce held a second of silence for Paul earlier than tip-off, and Lucas – a frequent opponent of the elder Silas – shared some ideas on his passing with reporters.
‘From the workforce, the teaching workers, all of the basketball personnel, all our prayers and ideas are with Coach and his household proper now,’ Lucas mentioned to start his pregame availability. ‘Paul Silas did lots for basketball.’
Apart from profitable a pair of NBA titles with the Boston Celtics in 1974 and 1976, and one other with the Seattle SuperSonics in 1979, Silas was often called one of many recreation’s greatest rebounders and grittiest defenders. Later he constructed his repute on NBA sidelines as hard-nosed, but mild-mannered head coach with the San Diego Clippers, Charlotte Hornets, and Cleveland Cavaliers.
Apart from profitable a pair of NBA titles with the Boston Celtics in 1974 and 1976, and one other with the Seattle SuperSonics in 1979, Paul Silas was often called one of many recreation’s greatest rebounders and grittiest defenders. Later he constructed his repute on NBA sidelines as hard-nosed, but mild-mannered head coach with the San Diego Clippers, Charlotte Hornets, and Cleveland Cavaliers
Paul’s place throughout the recreation was a continuing for Stephen all through his life. Extremely, in accordance with the Houston Chronicle, his first phrases had been ‘Jo Jo White,’ as in, his father’s longtime teammate and Celtics level guard.
The 49-year-old Stephen did not comply with his father into an NBA taking part in profession, however the former Brown College guard did earn his place within the teaching rankings as a journeyman assistant with seven totally different groups earlier than being employed as head coach in Houston two years in the past.
Since then, Stephen has helped develop the Rockets’ largely inexperienced roster, though the workforce sits in final place within the Western Convention at 8-18.
When requested about his lacking coach on Sunday, ahead Kenyon Martin Jr. instructed the Houston Chronicle that he and Stephen have bonded over rising up in NBA circles. Just like the youthful Silas, Martin’s father was additionally an All-Star energy ahead.
‘He and I’ve been in the identical place, him being in that surroundings rising up and having that understanding of basketball, and with me, my dad taking part in. To comply with in our fathers’ footsteps and have them in our nook and them being exhausting on us, it is type of cool to have these conversations.’
Head coach Paul Silas of the Charlotte Bobcats and Kenyon Martin of the Los Angeles Clippers discuss on the sidelines throughout their recreation on February 11, 2012 in Charlotte. Now their sons Stephen Silas and Kenyon Martin Jr. work collectively in Houston
When requested about his lacking coach on Sunday, ahead Kenyon Martin Jr. (proper) instructed the Houston Chronicle that he and Stephen (left) have bonded over rising up in NBA circles. Just like the youthful Silas, Martin’s father was additionally an All-Star energy ahead
Stephen was by no means bashful about being Paul’s son, as an alternative taking nice delight in his father’s profession.
When discussing his father final June, Stephen mentioned he is embraced his father’s legacy, fairly than making an attempt to shrink back from it.
‘Being Paul Silas’ son has at all times been nice for me, and it clearly comes with challenges for me, however I by no means shied away from that,’ Stephen mentioned, as quoted by the Chronicle. ‘I have never actually performed something to separate myself or attempt to make folks assume I am my very own man and all that stuff. I’ve an excessive amount of respect for him and what he is performed, what he is performed for me.’
And naturally, Paul was glad to play the function of proud father in 2019, when Stephen was employed to teach the Rockets – a job he had as soon as been handed over for in 2003.
‘I instructed him it was going to occur,’ Paul instructed the Chronicle on the time. ‘I knew it was going to occur for him. They needed to get him. He mentioned, ”I do not assume it’ll occur, Dad.” I mentioned, ”It’s.” And it did. I am simply glad as heck.
It is nonetheless not recognized when Stephen Silas will return to the ground, however there would not seem like a lot stress for him to hurry again.
Martin went on to say that the workforce desires him to take his time returning to the courtroom.
‘We type of have that similarity, so I type of have an understanding of him,’ Martin mentioned. ‘We do not understand how lengthy Coach goes to be out. We wish him to get his head area proper. We wish to exit, play exhausting and get a pair wins for him.’
Silas, pictured in 1971, was an All-Star in 1971-72 and once more in 1974-75
