Rockets Coach Stephen Silas Studying Peers in NBA Playoffs
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HOUSTON — The Houston Rockets missed the postseason for the second consecutive year, but that does not mean the franchise isn't keeping an eye on the action.
Coach Stephen Silas is using the playoffs as a benchmark to prepare for the 2022-23 season. The design of the first voluntary offseason program is preparing the Rockets to be a playoff-caliber team in the near future.
Houston's young standouts Josh Christopher, Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun are committed to the objective by participating in rigid workouts with assistant coach John Lucas. But Silas has used the postseason to study his coaching peers from afar.
"When you get this far into the playoffs, every coach is good, and they have done some creative stuff," Silas said during the unveiling of the renovations at the Moody Community Center on Thursday. "The playoffs are so personnel-based. There are little things I've been able to pick up on. And it has been extremely fun to watch."
The defensive production through the first two rounds of the playoffs has been the most significant aspect that has stood out to Silas. Coach Erik Spoelstra's defensive schemes have caught the eye of Silas.
He noticed how the Miami Heat is playing a defensive scheme that forces their opponents to get the ball out of their preferred playmaker while helping from unusual areas on the court.
The Heat has registered the second-highest defensive rating through the first two rounds of the playoffs at 104.6. Thursday night, Miami advanced to the Eastern Conference finals after eliminating the Philadelphia 76ers 4-2.
"It's fun watching all of the adjustments these coaches are making," Silas said. "When you go back to [Wednesday's] game, the adjustment of Monty [Williams] putting bigs into the game helped change the outcome in their favor. He did a great job, and that's the best thing to see."
Silas has every playoff game on his laptop and will be revisiting top takeaways throughout the offseason.
