The Charlotte Hornets announced Wednesday that Steve Clifford would be away from the team “for the immediate future” for health-related reasons. In the meantime, assistant coach Stephen Silas will coach the Hornets.
Hornets coach Steve Clifford out indefinitely with health concerns
That means lead assistant Stephen Silas will fill in on an interim basis.
Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images
The Hornets did not disclose Clifford’s illness.
Silas had coached Monday’s game against the Orlando Magic, receiving a text at 2 p.m. that afternoon saying Clifford would be unable to coach. The Hornets won 104-94 with Silas as the interim.
“(Clifford) is always so prepared for every instance, every game, so today was a lot of study,” Silas told reporters before the game. “Usually I’ll watch (an opponent’s) game and kind of gloss through it if it’s not my game plan. Today I spent a lot more time delving into the stats, delving into our team, and being prepared for late-game situations. It was a long day.”
Silas typically shares the scouting for the other 29 teams around the league with our assistant coaches, something that SB Nation’s Paul Flannery witnessed when he spent a day with the assistant coach.
This is a great opportunity for Silas, who may be in line for a head coaching job soon, but it obviously comes under unfortunate circumstances. We’re all hoping that the 56-year-old Clifford has a quick recovery. Certainly, his attention to detail has been a binding cornerstone for Charlotte ever since being hired in 2013, and that will be missed in his absence, however long it lasts.
Get well soon, Steve.
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