HOUSTON — As soon as Rockets head coach Stephen Silas walked into the press conference room for Wednesday’s postgame press conference, you could see that he was not happy.
Gone was the smile that Silas usually displays, regardless of circumstances. His tone and demeanor were not close to the same as 48 hours ago, when he had spoken to reporters after the Rockets had broken their 13-game losing streak by defeating Minnesota.
He was infuriated — and had every right to be — after watching his team blow a 19-point lead to the visiting Washington Wizards on their way to a 108-103 loss (box score).
Leading 81-71 to start the fourth quarter, Houston (11-37) allowed Washington (22-26) to go on a 12-2 run to tie the game. Kyle Kuzma hit 20 of his game-high 33 points in the final quarter as the Wizards outscored the Rockets, 37-22, on their way to a fourth straight win.
Rockets center Alperen Sengun kept Houston within striking distance by recording his second career triple-double with 21 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. He became only the second 20-year-old to post those numbers, joining Lakers legend Magic Johnson.
“We got to be better,” said Rockets HC Stephen Silas after the loss to the Wizards. “Whatever young or inexperience and all that, we got to be better.” #Rockets #Sarge @TheRocketsWire pic.twitter.com/Hcs7mhrZQu
— #SARGE (@BigSargeSportz) January 26, 2023
It is easy to point to the Rockets’ youth and inexperience for the late-game collapses. Three of their main starters (Sengun, 20, Jalen Green, 20, and Jabari Smith Jr., 19) are under 21. Yet, Silas no longer wants that to be used as an excuse for his team’s lack of execution.
“Late third quarter, we got away from the things that are about winning, about building winning habits, about taking the right shot, about making the right pass, and we’ve got to be better,” said Silas, who likely relayed that same message to his team, albeit with a sterner tone. “We’ve got to be better than that. Whatever, young and inexperienced and all that, we’ve got to be better.”
Houston has played very well in the first half of many of their 48 games this season, and on Wednesday, they took a 58-43 lead into halftime. Yet, just as they have in their 37 losses this season, they collapsed in the second half. They went away from the ball movement and execution that helped them build their leads.
“We were in the locker room talking about having the same mindset,” Green said. “Don’t let off because that is what we have been doing this whole time. We obviously get the lead in the first half, so just sticking to what’s working in that first half and continuing through and through, not try to let the ball stick so much, keep moving the ball.”
The Rockets must correct their late-game mistakes quickly, as the Cleveland Cavaliers come into town on Thursday night for night two of a back-to-back and the finale of a three-game homestand. Houston will then hit the road to take on the Detroit Pistons on Saturday.
