In a very unusual move, Houston Rockets head coach Stephen Silas left the sideline during Wednesday’s first quarter at Cleveland and pointed to assistant coach John Lucas, who became his replacement.
Minutes later, the team clarified that Silas was suffering from dehydration and had gone back to the locker room to receive fluids. His expected return timeline to the bench, be it later in Wednesday’s game or at some point later than that, was not immediately clear.
Now 68 years old, Lucas has previously worked as a head coach for three different NBA teams, including the host Cavaliers from 2001 through 2003. Thus, he certainly brings plenty of experience in the interim.
Unfortunately for Silas and Lucas, the Rockets fell behind by 20+ points very quickly in a game in which four of their five desired starters — Eric Gordon, Christian Wood, Kevin Porter Jr., and Jalen Green — were unavailable due to injuries or planned maintenance on a back-to-back.
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— 𝙏𝙖𝙡𝙠𝙞𝙣’ 𝙉𝘽𝘼 🗣️ (@_Talkin_NBA) December 16, 2021
