HOUSTON, TX – Back in the win column. It's nice to see. The Houston Rockets snapped their three-game losing streak at home with a win against the league-worst Detroit Pistons in a blowout that was amplified by an explosive 47-point third quarter.

Jalen Green put up his third straight efficient performance, scoring 22 points on 6-12 shooting, with five of his makes being three pointers. Alperen Sengun continued to solidify his All-Star case with a near double-double performance of 26 points and nine assists. One of the most impressive plays between the two starters included a crisp give-and-go that saw Green finish off a sweet pass from Sengun with a reverse layup, occurring in the aforementioned third quarter explosion.

Another notable highlight to mention is Amen Thompson, who notched career highs in points (12), assists (6), and played more minutes than Fred VanVleet for the first time this season. Houston held on after the third quarter and ended up playing their second unit and non-rotational players to finish out the fourth quarter. With a 136-113 win, the Rockets handed the Pistons their 30th loss this season.

Stephen Silas reunites with Rockets in Houston

 

While we're on the subject of losing, former Rockets head coach Stephen Silas made his return to the Toyota Center as the current assistant head coach for the Pistons. Fans may recall the forgettable three seasons he coached for Houston following the sudden departure of James Harden.

Along with the Rockets, Silas has endured quite a few stretches of bad luck. After being a part of the Pistons recent historic losing streak, he now has three losing streaks of 20+ games throughout his career (he achieved the feat while with the Rockets and the Charlotte Bobcats earlier in his career). He, along with head coach Monty Williams, recently set the NBA record for most consecutive losses (28) in a regular season. They thankfully managed to snap that streak on December 30th with a win over the Toronto Raptors, but quickly ended up back in the loss column against Houston.

Silas' tenure on the Rockets is often looked at with disgust and regret by Rockets fans, and for good reason. The prolonged usage of Sengun, who's having a breakout year under new head coach Ime Udoka. The questionable utilization of Green, and how it's slowed his development in a more team based offense. Choosing to play Daishen Nix 30+ minutes in multiple games, the list goes on and on. These decisions are something Rockets fans will never forget.

The Rockets warmly greet Stephen Silas

It's worth noting that despite the criticism from fans regarding Silas' coaching decisions during his tenure, there is a bittersweet twist. After the final buzzer, several Rockets players, including Green, Sengun, Jae'Sean Tate, and Jabari Smith, approached Silas with enthusiasm, with Green in particular sharing a warm hug with his former head coach. Both guys shared a smile together on television.

This behind-the-scenes camaraderie suggests that while Silas may not have garnered universal appeal by Rockets fans, he had a positive and genuine connection with the young Rockets in the locker room and during practice. Despite the dismal seasons, the current players who performed under Silas evidently have a deep appreciation for their former head coach.

When it's all said and done, the 2023-2024 Pistons could go down as the worst team in NBA history when it comes to win-loss record. However, it shouldn't just be on Silas. Head coach Monty Williams, who just took the Phoenix Suns to three straight playoff appearances, including the 2021 NBA Finals, will take the bulk of the blame.

And while many folks like to bash on Silas, who could forget his significant impact on Luka Doncic's offense when he was an assistant coach for the Dallas Mavericks? Or his impact with a young Stephen Curry, one of the greatest point guards in NBA history? There's a case that without the aid of Silas, maybe Curry and Doncic don't become as lethal as they currently are. The point is, Silas is in Detroit for a reason and while they are losing at an embarrassing rate, guard Cade Cunningham looks to be the Silas' next offensive project.