Stephen Silas sees Rockets growing into maturity, positioning as 2022-23 season winds up

HOUSTON – The Rockets can end their six-game homestand with a winning record … if they beat the Golden State Warriors. They are the defending NBA champions, a team that features three potential first-ballot NBA Hall of Famers, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green.

Entering Monday, Warriors are also a team that is in dire need of a road win after losing their last 11 games away from home. The last time the two teams met in late February, Klay Thompson hit a season-high 12 three-pointers to accomplish the feat for the third time in his career. However, that game was in San Francisco.

“I don’t think Schutt (Kevin Porter Jr.) or Jalen (Green) were available for that game, so having him will be a great adjustment,” Rockets head coach Stephen Silas said of the adjustments needed against the Warriors. “When you play Golden State, it’s a lot about the experience and knowing what’s to come. They have been together for so long and read each other so well.

But it is different from the team that the Warriors beat by 15 points last time. Houston was in the midst of a losing streak that ended after 11 games. Since then, the Rockets have gone 5-5, including a recent three-game winning streak. Houston is without center Alpern Sengun due to illness, but they will have Jalen Green, who scored 40 points in Sunday’s loss against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Growth and maturity have been themes for the young Rockets team during their homestand, and teams seem to realize that looking at the schedule and seeing Houston isn’t an automatic win.

“I got a bunch of texts about the maturity part of it,” said Silas, who was asked about other teams saying Houston could be a tough opponent when they play together. “From where we started the season to where we are now, we just look like a more mature team, a more organized team and a team with more purpose. Just because we have played more games and stuck to the script.”

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The story originally appeared on Rockets Wire

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