This is kinda like what Phil Jackson did in game 6 of the 1992 NBA Finals. He had 4 reserves and Scottie Pippen in at the end of the 3rd and the beginning of the 4th, for quite a while. I remember at the time thinking it was stupid to leave Jordan out for an extended period- but the reserves brought them back, and they won ring #2. Of course, that only works every once in a while. If we want to win Sunday, we need MVP Harden.
Just to clarify: do you mean the players that the coach put on the floor won the game, or the players the coach did not put on the floor won the game?
People are very blinded by just a few positives here and there. The truth is there were way too many McHale in-competencies that can't be overlooked...
Credit to McHale for having the balls to keep Harden benched I said all along that I fully expect this team to make the WCF at the very least considering the deep talent so McHale has one more game to save his bacon
wow. this is hater logic at its finest. the haters can't help themselves. this is like watching a stupid insect bang into a lightbulb over and over. Add liberon to the hater list. These playoffs have really exposed some extreme personality disorders..pure self hatred.
It's crazy to think of it. But all they had to do is PLAY HARD GIVE MORE ENERGY The same stuff mchale preaches, I guess the game plan is always there
This is my favorite thread after a win bc talk about hating the coach that had the BALLS to ride with Brewer, Josh, Grandpa Jet, Howard and Ariza after all the stupid crap the players were doing thru out the series... It's so funny. McHale has to deserve some credit for the season and the game 6 turnaround. That group played for him the way he is always asking. Energy, Pace, Defense. Awesome job Rockets! Game 7 what more could you ask for with Harden out of gas.
Gotta own up and give the man his due. Last night I posted this. First post in this entire thread. For the first time, I had given up on the McHale era. We had the lead and his failed intentional foul scheme had backfired in a big way. Now we were down 19, on the road, in a place we had been previously blown out, in an elimination game. The mistake killed any positive momentum we had in the game and now it felt like it was over, like we unraveled, just like Games 3 & 4 ...it felt like our season was over due to McHale's mistake ...a mistake which he owned up to not only in-game with JA Adande, but also in the post game press conference. But I got to give him credit. He learned from his mistake. In the forth, with momentum again on our side with the Headband Gang leading a comeback, he could've possibly killed any momentum we had by reinserting a cold Harden off the bench. He didn't. He learned from his earlier mistake in the game and used that to make the right choice that ultimately won us the game. Props Coach Mac. I should've known to never under estimate the heatt of a champion.
I know people mock this reasoning, but if you watch the game you can clearly see that this biggest problem this team has that gets them in trouble is just that. They get CRAZY lazy.
I'm not much of a lover of McHale's in game strateegery, but choosing to keep Harden out AND keep Howerd in when he had the 2 fouls was very very big.
I also want to point out that all the McHale haters who bashed him for the hack-a-strategy because were were "up" and had "momentum" should take note that Pop does the same thing AND that Doc Rivers did it last night just before our big run. Hacking with a lead is the better time to hack. It backfired when DeAndre made 4 in a row, but that isn't why the Rockets came out in the third and got blitzed. That's not the reason that James Harden decided it was time to shoot a bunch of long step backs.
You have my respect tigereye. It takes some character to admit you were wrong.....and the lack of character(and basketball IQ) is really on display from the McHale haters. They can't find enough flimsy excuses. Well done.
Personally, I think he's showing growth as a HC. Benching a struggling Harden during a game 6 playoff game? Mchale? If you had told me that prior to game 6, I would've laughed in your face. Give credit where is it due.
