Rockets Poise & Passion: How to Copy the Warriors Blueprint - Notebook

The Houston Rockets come up short, but coach Stephen Silas finds value in the loss to the Warriors.

HOUSTON — Coach Stephen Silas believes if Kevin Porter Jr. had played Friday night, the Houston Rockets would have defeated the Indiana Pacers.

"What he brings with his passion, defense, scoring and playmaking — we missed that the other day," Silas said. "If he was out there [Friday night], that might have been a victory for us."

Porter missed his first game of the season due to lower back soreness, and the injury almost held him out for the second consecutive game, this one against the Warriors. He was a game-time decision, and his status was up in the air until Silas announced his starting lineup 15 minutes before tip-off.

Porter put together one of the best performances of his young career. He finished with a team-best 30 points, six assists and five rebounds in the Rockets’ 127-120 loss to the Warriors.

From his scoring to the on-court poise he provided, Porter filled a clear void that existed against Indy, as Houston failed to get into its sets without Porter, which hindered their play at both ends.

But with Porter active, it took a combined 74 points from Stephen Curry (33) and Klay Thompson (41) for the Warriors to hold off the Rockets.

Porter's play was a testament to his growth since joining the Rockets in January 2021. But more notably, Porter's performance illustrated his importance to Houston's rebuilding project.

"With my game, I feel more comfortable on the floor — everything has slowed down," Porter said. "With me, it's all about consistency. I've figured out the NBA speed, and now I am in a rhythm."

Leaning on a pair of rookies in Eason and Smith

Silas was never concerned with Jabari Smith Jr. as he went through the first offensive slump of his pro career — and the rookie prospect shared his beliefs.

"I feel like I am in a good head space," Smith said. "A lot of people cannot go through these shooting slumps and keep a good attitude while trying to contribute."

After a 21-point performance against the Utah Jazz on Oct. 24, Smith had fallen into an offensive slump. 

He came into Sunday's contest averaging 8.2 points on 28.7 percent shooting from the field, 26.0 percent from behind the arc, over the previous 10 games. 

But against the defending NBA champ Warriors, Smith got a career-best 22 points on 8-of-14 shooting. He credited his teammates for getting him more involved in the offense. But Smith said after the game that he felt his energy was up. 

Tari Eason joined Smith as a rookie whose contributions nearly kept the Warriors winless on the road. Eason had a career-high with 19 points and eight rebounds off the bench.

"Both of them played great," Silas said. "Jabari was all over the place defensively and crashing the glass. With Tari, he is always in the right spots. He was running around, getting offensive rebounds and taking it coast-to-coast. It was a lesson (taught by Golden State). But they played well."

Imitating the best

The Warriors have been dynastic since 2015. But Silas said he remembers when Golden State was in a similar position as the Rockets over a decade ago.

Silas served as the Warriors' assistant coach under Hall of Famer Don Nelson from 2006-2010, which coincides with Curry's rookie campaign.  

Silas was proud of the fight and grit the Rockets showcased against the Warriors. And even with a loss, Silas felt Houston's performance would build their confidence.

"I want us to see what [a rebuild] looks like at the end," Silas said. "That Warriors team is what it can look like. I remember when it wasn't so good for them. (We) need to feel good about the way (we) played, but also good about what's in store for the future." 

Quick Hits:

- K.J. Martin should be an early candidate for Sixth Man of the year. He finished with 12 points, four rebounds and a steal off the bench.

- Jalen Green finished with 16 points on 4-of-15 shooting. Since the start of the Rockets' four-game homestand, Green has averaged 16.0 points on 23.3 percent shooting from the field. 

- The Rockets lost despite shooting 23-of-27 (85.2 percent) from the free-throw line, while Golden State shot 11-of-15 (73.3 percent). Houston is currently shooting 77.4 percent from the free throw line this season after finishing last during the 2021-22 campaign (71.3 percent).

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You can follow Coty M. Davis on Twitter at @CotyDavis_24

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