Rockets fire Kevin McHale

funkykingston

funkykingston

Super Moderator
Staff member
#1
#1
Per ESPN:

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/14160559/houston-rockets-fire-coach-kevin-mchale

Here are my first two thoughts:

(1) 11 games seems like a very short leash for a coach who has had a lot of success the last couple years. If not for a complete meltdown last year (they were up 3-1 on the Clippers before losing three straight) they would have gone to the Western Conference Finals.

but given that this move happens RIGHT after a players only meeting where the team got together and "figured things out" . . .

(2) it does nothing to change my perception of Dwight Howard as a locker room lawyer and coach killer.
 
funkykingston

funkykingston

Super Moderator
Staff member
#2
#2
I did find out some compelling evidence of why McHale was fired. This is from the ESPN article I linked to above:

McHale, in his fifth season with the team, was in the first year of a three-year extension worth more than $12 million that he signed last December. He was coming off an 82-56 season where the Rockets reached the Western Conference finals for the first time since 1997.
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No wonder the Rockets gassed out against the Clips in the postseason - McHale made them play an extra FIFTY SIX GAMES in the regular season. That's bad coaching.
 
Capt. Factorial

Capt. Factorial

trifolium contra tempestatem subrigere certum est
Staff member
#5
#5
ShastaKingsFan said:
I thought they beat the Clippers and did go to the Western Finals?
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They did beat the Clippers. Funky got mixed up - they were DOWN 3-1 and won the final three to make it.

I'm sort of figuring here that the Rockets got spooked by the Kings media circus, made the assumption that the Kings were going to fire Karl and try to nab up Thibs, and that the Rockets are going to try to beat us to the punch. No particular reason, just seems like the kind of thing that would happen.
 
funkykingston

funkykingston

Super Moderator
Staff member
#6
#6
ShastaKingsFan said:
I thought they beat the Clippers and did go to the Western Finals?
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You're right, I had it flipped in my mind. It was the Clippers that collapsed. I'd edit my first post to make me look like less of an idiot but I've been around long enough I think people already know.

That being the case there's even less reason to fire McHale. I'm guessing the players pushed this move.
 
J

joemama

Starter
#7
#7
Section 101

Section 101

All-Star
#11
#11
joemama said:
Some morons like the link below (for one example) believed Ty Lawson was one of the best offseason (free agent) signings:
http://www.sportsnet.ca/basketball/nba/nba-power-rankings-impact-off-season-move/

*Yeah, that 33% from the floor is just blistering.
Reference: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-b...mchale-is-out-as-rockets-coach-160728654.html

Well Houston who has lost 4 straight play Portland how has lost 6 straight tonight, somebody has to win!
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Well you know the kings should have traded for him because he's better than DC. :rolleyes:
 
A

Amit149

Bench
#13
#13
rainmaker said:
I'm loving this.

Hou is a mess.

NO is a hot mess.

Mem suddenly looks too old to play this game although I expect them to recover a bit.

And all three were/are competition for us getting into the playoffs. Gotta take advantage.
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NO collapsing is very good news for us, but I don't feel the same about Memphis and Houston- since despite their bad start (Memphis is now at 6-6, so it's not that bad) I still don't see them missing the playoffs.

I would much rather see Dallas (7-4) and Phoenix (6-4) losing tonight (Dallas is playing Boston and the Suns play the Bulls).
 
VF21

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#15
#15
itzcoatl said:
Not that I have been watching a ton of rockets games, but I understand that harden's defense this year has been a joke. I don't see how it's coaches fault that the star player decided to only play one side of the court.
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McHale should have kept Harden away from Khloe Kardashian.
 
Padrino

Padrino

All-Star
#18
#18
King Baller said:
Well I figure Thibs gets hired by Morey. I would have loved to see Thibs on the Kings bench.
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i'm rather perplexed by this view. i've seen it communicated quite often around the internet--both in basketball forums and by sports journalists. in what way does tom thibodeau exemplify the tenets of moreyball? in what way does tom thibodeau embody an analytics-based attitude toward player rest? he strikes me as the exact opposite of everything that daryl morey stands for, as does jeff van gundy, for that matter. it's true enough that both thibs and JVG have previous ties to the houston rockets organization, but i don't see how that actually qualifies them for the job that morey will want the next rockets head coach to accomplish. my guess is they'll ride it out with j.b. bickerstaff for awhile, and see what kind of results he gets from this underperforming squad...
 
Padrino

Padrino

All-Star
#19
#19
Hadlowe said:
I dunno. Thibs seems like the opposite of Morey ball. Thibs is inside-out with focus on big men for defense and low movement offensive sets. Morey is 3-ball above all else. I wouldn't be surprised if the interim guy finishes the year.
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haha, you beat me to the punch by just a few seconds!

;)
 
kingsboi

kingsboi

Hall of Famer
#20
#20
this was coming a mile away. The writings were on the wall. Team was just not responding to him any longer. Regardless, this team as constructed won't get far anyway so it's all moot.
 
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