Houston Rockets coach Stephen Silas was absent from Sunday’s upset win over the Milwaukee Bucks as he and his family continue to grieve the loss of his father, former NBA All-Star Paul Silas.
The 79-year-old former power forward and head coach died Saturday from cardiac arrest, his family told The New York Times. The Boston Globe first reported Paul Silas’ passing.
Led by assistant coach John Lucas, another former NBA player and head coach, Stephen’s young Rockets roster topped two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks, 97-92. Afterwards, Lucas dedicated the win to Stephen: ‘That’s for Coach. That one’s for him.’
Houston Rockets coach Stephen Silas (pictured, right, in 2011) was absent from Sunday’s upset win over the Milwaukee Bucks as he and his family continue to grieve the loss of his father, former NBA All-Star Paul Silas (picture, left, as head coach of the Charlotte Bobcats)
Led by assistant coach John Lucas (left), another former NBA player and head coach, Stephen’s young Rockets roster topped two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks, 97-92. Afterwards, Lucas dedicated the win to Stephen: ‘That’s for Coach. That one’s for him’
It’s still not known how long Stephen will be gone for the Rockets, but he and his family were certainly on the minds of attendees at Sunday’s game in Houston.
The team held a moment of silence for Paul before tip-off, and Lucas – a frequent opponent of the elder Silas – shared some thoughts on his passing with reporters.
‘From the team, the coaching staff, all the basketball personnel, all our prayers and thoughts are with Coach and his family right now,’ Lucas said to begin his pregame availability. ‘Paul Silas did a lot for basketball.’
Aside from winning a pair of NBA titles with the Boston Celtics in 1974 and 1976, and another with the Seattle SuperSonics in 1979, Silas was known as one of the game’s best rebounders and grittiest defenders. Later he built his reputation on NBA sidelines as hard-nosed, yet mild-mannered head coach with the San Diego Clippers, Charlotte Hornets, and Cleveland Cavaliers.
Aside from winning a pair of NBA titles with the Boston Celtics in 1974 and 1976, and another with the Seattle SuperSonics in 1979, Paul Silas was known as one of the game’s best rebounders and grittiest defenders. Later he built his reputation on NBA sidelines as hard-nosed, yet mild-mannered head coach with the San Diego Clippers, Charlotte Hornets, and Cleveland Cavaliers
Paul’s place within the game was a constant for Stephen throughout his life. Incredibly, according to the Houston Chronicle, his first words were ‘Jo Jo White,’ as in, his father’s longtime teammate and Celtics point guard.
The 49-year-old Stephen didn’t follow his father into an NBA playing career, but the former Brown University guard did earn his place in the coaching rankings as a journeyman assistant with seven different teams before being hired as head coach in Houston two years ago.
Since then, Stephen has helped develop the Rockets’ largely inexperienced roster, although the team sits in last place in the Western Conference at 8-18.
When asked about his missing coach on Sunday, forward Kenyon Martin Jr. told the Houston Chronicle that he and Stephen have bonded over growing up in NBA circles. Like the younger Silas, Martin’s father was also an All-Star power forward.
‘He and I have been in the same position, him being in that environment growing up and having that understanding of basketball, and with me, my dad playing. To follow in our fathers’ footsteps and have them in our corner and them being hard on us, it’s kind of cool to have those conversations.’
Head coach Paul Silas of the Charlotte Bobcats and Kenyon Martin of the Los Angeles Clippers talk on the sidelines during their game on February 11, 2012 in Charlotte. Now their sons Stephen Silas and Kenyon Martin Jr. work together in Houston
When asked about his missing coach on Sunday, forward Kenyon Martin Jr. (right) told the Houston Chronicle that he and Stephen (left) have bonded over growing up in NBA circles. Like the younger Silas, Martin’s father was also an All-Star power forward
Stephen was never bashful about being Paul’s son, instead taking great pride in his father’s career.
When discussing his father last June, Stephen said he’s embraced his father’s legacy, rather than trying to shy away from it.
‘Being Paul Silas’ son has always been great for me, and it obviously comes with challenges for me, but I never shied away from that,’ Stephen said, as quoted by the Chronicle. ‘I haven’t really done anything to separate myself or try to make people think I’m my own man and all that stuff. I have too much respect for him and what he’s done, what he’s done for me.’
And of course, Paul was happy to play the role of proud father in 2019, when Stephen was hired to coach the Rockets – a job he had once been passed over for in 2003.
‘I told him it was going to happen,’ Paul told the Chronicle at the time. ‘I knew it was going to happen for him. They wanted to get him. He said, ”I don’t think it’s going to happen, Dad.” I said, ”It is.” And it did. I’m just happy as heck.
It’s still not known when Stephen Silas will return to the floor, but there doesn’t appear to be much pressure for him to rush back.
Martin went on to say that the team wants him to take his time returning to the court.
‘We kind of have that similarity, so I kind of have an understanding of him,’ Martin said. ‘We don’t know how long Coach is going to be out. We want him to get his head space right. We want to go out, play hard and get a couple wins for him.’
Silas, pictured in 1971, was an All-Star in 1971-72 and again in 1974-75
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