He was coming off an 56-26 season in which the Rockets reached the Western Conference finals for the first time since 1997.
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Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey said it was a tough decision but the team wasn’t responding to McHale. In his place will be assistant J.B. Bickerstaff who takes over on an interim basis for the rest of the year as reported by Sports Illustrated.
The Rockets (4-7) haven’t had an ideal start to the season. “On defense we weren’t playing hard”.
“We believe in this team”.
McHale, 57, was 193-130 in four years as the coach of the Rockets. After the Rockets’ meeting, Kevin McHale did get fired.
“It didn’t happen the way I would have liked it to happen but we’re here”, Bickerstaff said. He was hired by the club before the start of the 2011-12 campaign and guided the Rockets into the playoffs in each of the past 3 seasons. As we all sort of say: “It’s a volatile business, and sometimes it doesn’t make sense… like Kevin McHale getting fired”.
Rockets owner Leslie Alexander watched from the first row at midcourt as his seemingly uninspired team entered halftime in a 46-35 hole.
They have lost four consecutive games, including three at home, and Boston handed Houston a 111-95 loss on Monday.
“Maybe when the dust settles, I can get him out to teach the “slippery eel” to Kelly [Olynyk] and Sully [Jared Sullinger] and Amir [Johnson]”. McHale already with a job offer? The same roster as a year ago added dynamic point guard Ty Lawson, but the team has not really gelled and McHale complained about the effort of the team and its sloppy play.
Immediately after finishing with their best season and an improved lineup with two All-Stars – James Harden and Dwight Howard – it just seems silly to fire McHale only 11 games into the new season.
“Veteran experience, tons, and tons of experience”, Terry said of what he brings back to the starting backcourt “leadership, shotmaking and playmaking and also a guy that understand time and score, pace of the game, just those little nuances”.
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Russell Westbrook poured in 43 points, handed out eight assists and pulled down nine rebounds for the Thunder, who were without former National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player Kevin Durant for a fourth straight game.
