Woj - Rockets fire Kevin McHale

[KingFox]

It's definitely not ideal. But the Rockets had been playing way below expectations. At some point it's about pride. They had championship aspirations. It's just unacceptable.

i agree. but i hated when the Kings did it, and i hate it now

if you aren't happy with these coaches, then get rid of them in the summer. Has anyone ever won a conference or title with an interim coach? its as if you're throwing the season away in November and it's heartbreaking

It's about damage control. Not ideal to do it in Nov, but even worse to do it in March. That you really be throwing your season away. Anyone won a championship with a new coach after all star break?

You are right about it being too late. That's why that contract extension was wrong in every way. Keep in mind, he got his contract extension before the playoff started. Before! Maybe they were trying to lock him into a cheaper contract before the potential playoff success (but I think it was because Harden and Dmo bailing him out in RS), still, big mistake. Mike Malone is a totally different story though, he is a great coach who shouldn't be fired, opposite to McHale.

true. disgusting move on the Kings part

[jamesnamida]

didn't lawson just say from the players meeting 'some guys weren't playing the defensive plays being called.....we sorted it out'.

i thought he meant that every one was on the same page defensively now-- as in listening to the bench!

Didn't think he meant that they are on the same page to change the guy making those calls xD

[celtics543]

I'm happy for McHale that he doesn't have to be around this toxic team anymore. Good luck to anyone that has to try and coach Harden, Dwight, Lawson, and those guys. They're so soft it's not going to matter who the coach is. Kevin McHale is still a 3 time NBA champion, a sixth man of the year, one of the 50 greatest players of all time, and has his number hanging in the Garden. I'm sure he'll be fine.

The Rockets are going to have a tough time in the West trying to get to the finals. They have enough talent, but their mental makeup is terrible.

[Zubby]

I'm happy for McHale that he doesn't have to be around this toxic team anymore. Good luck to anyone that has to try and coach Harden, Dwight, Lawson, and those guys. They're so soft it's not going to matter who the coach is. Kevin McHale is still a 3 time NBA champion, a sixth man of the year, one of the 50 greatest players of all time, and has his number hanging in the Garden. I'm sure he'll be fine.

The Rockets are going to have a tough time in the West trying to get to the finals. They have enough talent, but their mental makeup is terrible.

Please don't lump Dwight in with those guys. I don't know how he was in his time in Orlando or LA but for his entire time here in Houston he has been a model professional.

McHale even said earlier in the week Dwight was the only damn player talking on defense, the only damn player who knew what was going on in defense and when he sits they are completely lost.

I have been unfortunate enough to have seen every Rocket game thus far this year and even when they were down big it was Dwight freaking Howard sprinting back down to court on defense. He along with Ariza, Capela & Harrell were the only guys who busted their asses everytime they were on the court no matter how big the deficit.

Sometimes early in his Rocket tenure Dwight would demand the ball but never this year you could see some of the formations that were used to get him the ball and it just wouldn't happen, Harden would iso and Dwight never complained.

Last night I watched Dwight battle hard on both sides of the ball, saw him grab a crucial rebound late in game get fouled and proceed to hit two clutch free throws... I saw Brewer bail out Harden on a miracle 3 and at the end I heard MVP chants for a guy who has repeatedly taken possessions off, a guy that plays on a disappointing team in large part to his own behavior.


So please keep Dwight out of this he is one of the players who never quit on McHale.

[sutton]

McHale is the winner here.

If he try to discipline Harden or stop moreyball bull, he won't last to his 12m contract.

Now he can enjoy his retirement.

[jpengland]

Regardless of how good of an 'in game' coach he is, he took that team to the conference finals last year.

Harden looks hungover on court, Lawson has a drink problem (and an attitude problem), Smith and Dwight have history of cancerous behaviour.

McHale isn't a perfect coach, but he wasn't the problem. The problem is the make up of the roster which has cultivated a ethic. When your star is out partying and seemingly turning up to games hungover, what can you do? McHale can't make Harden give a damn on defense, he tried and the players decided to try to force him out.

[Slimreaper703]

I think the issue goes beyond Harden.
This season it feels as though he needs to have 30-40 point games for the team to even have a chance.

I put ALOT of the blame on Howard, a poster mentioned above how Howard has been a professional and playing his butt off.. But let me remind you this is Dwight Howard. This is like if Shaq came to LA in his prime and put up 18 and 10. still respectable numbers but you fail to live up to the name and the vision the team had when they signed you. When they signed Dwight they had Hakeem and Kevin Mchale at press conference and they really did a great job of selling me how Dwight would make more impact on the offensive side.

I haven't seen any improvement in low post offense. The expectations are not matching the reality. Houston wanted a Dwight that led an Orlando team to the finals and was a defensive force

What they got is a player that has to sit out a couple games on the DNP, who has regressed where I would seriously rank Cousins, M. Gasol, Drummond and maybe even Whiteside over him. A couple of seasons ago that statement would be idiotic to make now it has some substance.


Big time players have big time expectations. Harden despite his offseason decisions and Kardashian business, still plays like a superstar. And played at an MVP caliber level last year. Dwight has been productive yes, BUT has failed to meet the expectations.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM Forums

[spaceballer]

CBS is reporting that McHale's wife took to twitter to go unfiltered against Morey and Harden. But since the account was later deleted, does anyone know if it was legit? I'm assuming it's possible since CBS ran with the report.

http://sports.cbslocal.com/2015/11/19/kevin-mchales-wife-jabs-houston-rockets-james-harden-firing/

[K_chile22]

CBS is reporting that McHale's wife took to twitter to go unfiltered against Morey and Harden. But since the account was later deleted, does anyone know if it was legit? I'm assuming it's possible since CBS ran with the report.

http://sports.cbslocal.com/2015/11/19/kevin-mchales-wife-jabs-houston-rockets-james-harden-firing/

I saw the tweets before her Twitter was taken down. Legit. Pretty childish as well


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[trevm37]

I guess McHale fell short of turning Howard into the best post player in the NBA....

[quatin]

I'm happy for McHale that he doesn't have to be around this toxic team anymore. Good luck to anyone that has to try and coach Harden, Dwight, Lawson, and those guys. They're so soft it's not going to matter who the coach is. Kevin McHale is still a 3 time NBA champion, a sixth man of the year, one of the 50 greatest players of all time, and has his number hanging in the Garden. I'm sure he'll be fine.

The Rockets are going to have a tough time in the West trying to get to the finals. They have enough talent, but their mental makeup is terrible.

Please don't lump Dwight in with those guys. I don't know how he was in his time in Orlando or LA but for his entire time here in Houston he has been a model professional.

McHale even said earlier in the week Dwight was the only damn player talking on defense, the only damn player who knew what was going on in defense and when he sits they are completely lost.

I have been unfortunate enough to have seen every Rocket game thus far this year and even when they were down big it was Dwight freaking Howard sprinting back down to court on defense. He along with Ariza, Capela & Harrell were the only guys who busted their asses everytime they were on the court no matter how big the deficit.

Sometimes early in his Rocket tenure Dwight would demand the ball but never this year you could see some of the formations that were used to get him the ball and it just wouldn't happen, Harden would iso and Dwight never complained.

Last night I watched Dwight battle hard on both sides of the ball, saw him grab a crucial rebound late in game get fouled and proceed to hit two clutch free throws... I saw Brewer bail out Harden on a miracle 3 and at the end I heard MVP chants for a guy who has repeatedly taken possessions off, a guy that plays on a disappointing team in large part to his own behavior.


So please keep Dwight out of this he is one of the players who never quit on McHale.

This. Dwight is the only player who's show consistent effort through this mess. They're not even feeding him in the post. The Rockets have gone to treating him like Deandre Jordan and Howard is still pulling in 13 rebounds a game.

[sam_I_am]

This was our night but it’s just one game. Gotta come out with ferocity in game 2 - can’t take anything for granted.

[JustBuzzin]

This was our night but it’s just one game. Gotta come out with ferocity in game 2 - can’t take anything for granted.

Bro what?

[Tor_Raps]

This was our night but it’s just one game. Gotta come out with ferocity in game 2 - can’t take anything for granted.

Bro what?

Sam I am has completely lost it loll

[Pattycakes]

Bump for Mchale

[CS707]

Probably caught in the server since 2015 haha.

Funny story… my mom passed away a few years back and several months after I got a text from her basically saying she was thinking about me. For a minute I thought maybe someone else had been assigned her phone number but it was pretty clearly her. Freaked me the hell out. Several months later a story came out that AT&T had a server or cell tower go offline a while back and texts sent during that time sat in limbo for months and then finally went through. Apparently it caused quite the stir across the nation with people getting texts from exes and what not. I’m not a spiritual person but that had me rethinking my life for a while.

[Pantsman]

I’m sure he’ll catch on and get another job soon.

[Wargreymon]

He got fired again?

[Sofia]

Woj bath bomb