Doubt it. There really weren't any real implications with what McHale did. It was at best a delay of game violation if the refs had intervened.
This clip shows McHale going back to the bench. But after this McHale leaves the bench and goes to Tim's right-hand side again. He is standing about three feet from Duncan when Duncan inbounds the ball. If Duncan had wanted to, he probably could have reached out and touched McHale. So McHale was crowding him a little, but Duncan was able to throw the ball normally.
this is a more appropriate video -covering the whole event <iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/cwSyO8ScwiY?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
McHale was clearly in the wrong on this one. It's not even close - the ref physically grabs his arm as he's leaving. They all sort of "let it go" (I think the crew chief just wanted to get the game going again?) but the rules are pretty clear on this one, and everyone else is uncomfortable enough with the situation to point it out beforehand. Duncan could've refused to take/inbound the ball (again) until McHale was back in the appropriate area. McHale shouldn't have been there in the first place, he shouldn't have crossed over the second time, and the refs should've told him to get back to his seat before giving Duncan the ball. Maybe Pop was overreacting because his team was losing and blah blah blah, but that doesn't take away from what should be a cut-and-dry analysis of the situation.
Lol. What rule? McHale was in the appropriate area. McHale didn't break any rules and he certainly didn't impede the pass which was right on target. The Spurs are just a bunch of whiny b****es. McHale got to them so good for him.
McHail scares Pop more than Phil Jackson did. Which is saying something because Phil truly petrified Pop for most of his career.
Hell yeah. This is a classic scene in Rockets history now. Trolling Spurs is always good fun. 13-in-33 and now this. I wonder whats next :grin:
I love McHale's deadpan expression while Pops was mouthing off to him. Pretty sure he wanted to burst out laughing. He was motioning and seemed to say, "I went to the coach's box"
As a Rockets fan, I found it hilarious, but I'm not delusional to actually think that what McHale did was right. I agree that it may have been inside the confines of the rules, but seriously... Look at the whole video, and tell me that what he did was actually ethical. Pop shold have let it go. He carried on far too much for something that was within the rules. But don't blame him for being pissed off.
It wasn't "right" or "wrong" it was within the rules. McHale had no reason to be extra courteous especially after Duncan is being a jerkoff letting the ball roll on the floor and yapping with the official, making everyone wait on him. McHale was justified to respond in kind within the rules. Pop was the one who was out of line for his ridiculous response, and thats what makes everything so hilarious. Good on McHale for knocking the egotistical Spurs down a peg.
The funny part is that if we lost the game, almost everyone here would be blaming this play as the the reason why we lost the game and calling for McHale's head. There would be another thousand threads about demanding McHale to be fired on the spot. The Spurs did happen to play a lot better after Pop got the T. McHale probably didn't do right thing, as he told the media after the game, but it was perfectly legal. But dang, the spurs commentators take homerism to the next level. Even NBA.com had to block them out of the highlights. Calling for Tim to hit the head of McHale after that play was not professional.
Thanks for the explanation. I got to see the clip of the entire sequence as well. Can't say it was the most "gentlemanly" action by the coach, but he didn't look to be breaking any rule either, so Pop can rant all he wants. Personally, I kind of like this competitive side of McHale, and it also gives me a glimpse as to why he was considered one of the dirtiest players during his playing days.
Was Duncan's view of the court obstructed? It didn't appear to me like it was, but perhaps his view of the corner was?
