Rockets Head Coach Puts Forward his Expectations From Russell Westbrook
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SAITAMA, JAPAN – OCTOBER 08: Russell Westbrook #0 of Houston Rockets dribbles up court against the Toronto Raptors on October 8, 2019 at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. (Photo by Jun Sato/WireImage)
Last week, the Houston Rockets unveiled their new head coach, Stephen Silas. After being an assistant for two decades, he finally has the top job. In his recent interviews, he already looks ready to go, and has been vocal about his plans for star players James Harden and Russell Westbrook.
During his appearance on ESPN’s First Take, Silas spoke about how he wants Westbrook to stick to his game. He said, “I want him to play his game; I want him to go; I wanna see all that fire and we’ll work on the other stuff. He’s really the only one in the NBA you see that fire from on a night to night basis. Whether it’s game 1, game 40, or 7th game of the playoffs. That’s what I wanna see from him.”
Max Kellerman spoke about how Westbrook is so energetic that sometimes he overdoes it and the team suffers because of it. But Silas just wants Westbrook to do what he does best, but he admits there will be some stuff they have to work on.
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Can Stephen Silas get the best out of Russell Westbrook?
Ever since he averaged a triple-double in the 2016-17 season, Westbrook has often been termed a stat padder. While many have just brushed it off as hate, a closer look reveals how desperate he gets for a rebound, shouts at his teammates to score off his assists, and forces up shots even when it’s very unlikely. But he has always denied it.
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While this has gone down a bit since he joined the Rockets, he still has been making questionable decisions. Throughout the series against the Lakers, opposing defenders left him wide open at the perimeter because he clearly struggles from deep. But that didn’t stop him from chucking more shots, averaging 25% from three in that series.
Silas needs to get Westbrook to be more of a team player. They have a solid team around him and Harden, he just needs to get the best out of his teammates. It won’t be an overnight job, but if the Rockets can control his usage rate, which is currently fifth-best in the league, they will have a solid player who can contribute to the team’s success.
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There is no doubt about Westbrook’s ability, and if used right, he can be a deadly player.
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