The difference between Phil Jackson, perhaps the best coach in the history of the NBA, and the worst coaches during Phil's tenure were a maximum of 4-5 games a year. Plus or minus 2.5 wins a season. I am afraid that blaming McHale for the close losses just is not supportable nor justifiable. Did you know that after timeouts NBA teams score significantly less than they did without a timeout? IMHO statistics show that the only time a NBA coach should call a timeout is to break the other teams momentum. The baseline minutes of the Rockets starters about 29 minutes or so when facing a back to back the next night. Thus playing Harden 39 minutes a night is put into perspective. If Harden needs a rest probably it is just best to sit him for a game.
Because I remember the same bs about Rudy T until Olajuwon and a couple of the other players developed and then he was a god.
I don't think McHale is loved on this board by any means. However, if the reason someone is hating on him is because Jeremy Lin doesn't get enough minutes, or enough shots, or enough plays called for him, or doesn't get to run the pick n roll enough, or doesn't get a back rub from a power dancer, or doesn't get put on a poster.... If those are the reasons McHale is being bashed, many posters, even those who would like to see McHale go, just roll their eyes. They aren't really about defending McHale as much as they are defending the GARM.
What are you talking about? I have never said anything bad about Lin because IMHO he is the prototypical modern point guard. Great height, great toughness, great quickness, and as I knew he would, this year he is showing himself to be a great shooter. And in addition he is turning out to be a very good shooting guard. I don't know about not starting Lin, but it is not working out badly. And Lin still gets starter minutes.
What op said was "McHale sucks, McHale sucks.." What op meant was "Lin, Lin, Lin" What GARM feels - tired and sad. DD
McHale seems like a great guy and he's an awesome interview (the last two pallilo-McHale 790 interviews have been gold). but beyond that I agree that he doesn't have the forward-thinking ability that some of the great coaches have nor the X's and O's. Also, until that Memphis game and since the OKC series he has made some terrible in-game decisions. For example: When Dallas started making a run and our guys couldn't even sniff the rim late in the 4th he just left everyone in and didn't call a timeout until way deep into the dallas run. That loss could have been easily prevented by McHale simply calling a timeout and adjusting his lineup. Also, thinking that Omer and Dwight could play together (and then becoming hard-headed about it and trying it for 5-6 more games than he should have) was not tremendously smart. On a more macro scale - he can't coach a defense nor backside rebounding. When Dwight goes for a block and doesn't get it but the shot is still misses it is almost assuredly an offensive rebound for the opposing team. I don't know who would be a better option than McHale, outside of obvious guys who are already head coaches in the NBA, but McHale has left much to be desired out of the head coaching position.
I don't agree with the sentiment that McHale is respected around the NBA. DH12 came to HOU to play with Harden first and foremost McHale second. If harden wasn't here DH12 wouldn't be here. Also i do agree with the OP. I noticed this particularly last year when a few LOF's speculated that McHale doesn't respect Lin's game or think that highly of him. I remember a bunch of people jumping down the LOF's throats and defending McHale and dismissing the LOFs opinion. I myself said last year why are people defending McHale when we consistently bashed him the pervious year. OP is right this definitely did go on.
Harden got free reign to do whatever last year to test his limits as a player. OKC did the exact same thing to develop Duran'ts game early on in his career.
There have always been sounding criticisms of McHale on this board, but there have been way too many arguments revolve just McHale's benching of Lin not on other aspects of the coaching. The real constructive criticisms often are buried beneath the hundreds of arguments between the LOFs and LOFHs. In regarding McHale's coaching, I think McHale's weakness includes no set plays, poor in game decisions, stubborn rotation line up (it took him 10 games in regular season to kill TT, while I think it should have been done beginning of the regular season). But his main failure as a head coach is the inability to control his star players. Howard is new, so far he's ok. but McHale obviously can't control Harden. It did sound he realizes Harden ISOed too much as he called "the ball got sticky", but with Harden doing it over and over again, it's obvious McHale has limited power over him. Also Harden's poor effort on D...I hope it is due to injuries, but Harden's been doing it all year long last year too. I hope we won't get into problem with Howard later on if he starts to demand more post ups. The other weaknesses I can live with, but the inability to make your star players buy into the system spells a failure as a head coach.
That is as it should be. Some of you people want to put all of the blame on him for the losses and give none of the credit to him for any of the success. He took the youngest team in the NBA last season to the play-offs. A team full of players that were not just new to the Rockets but new to their rolls on the team. Players that did not get an off-season or even a pre-season together. And yet people like you b**** because you get criticized for calling him McFail. There is a difference between constructively criticizing and analysis vs hateful, agenda driven comments.
Immune? Huh. That's strange, because there's an entire thread called "Kevin McFail Memes". Oh wait, I wonder if it's possible that you got an infraction, rather than banned, because you posted an image mocking the death of Kevin McHale's daughter? I wonder if the infraction also clearly said that.
McHale is amongst the worst coaches in the NBA, possibly fighting with Dwayne Casey for that tag. Any run off the mill average NBA coach would have us at 13-2 with this talented roster. McHale takes zero responsibility for anything. He was brought in and emphasized D and this team is worse on D with players like Howard and Asik than it was with Chuck Hayes at center, Luis Scola at PF and Bud and KMart on the wings LOL
both extreme ends of the lin spectrum are equally awful and responsible for the mess necessarily or unnecessarily involving lin. many senior posters, especially pre-Yao, feel the urgency to defend GARM and counter whatever arguments LOF are putting out there. That is no different from the LOF themselves. I'm totally shocked how intolerant many experienced posters are to new fans. It's xenophobia human nature. Ultimately, whether you are LOF or LOH or in the middle, whatever comments that state the truth about this team should be taken, regardless of the motivation and agenda. the motivation and agenda should just be ignored, rather than being exposed, mocked and debated, which only fuels the fire. why bother attacking other posters even though you don't like them or don't agree with them. People constantly blaming the intelligence level other posters, are really sub par themselves and cannot stay objective.
People never seem to consider that the Rockets are a very talented team. The reason why McHale might not get as much credit is...the team by default is full of young, energetic players who have talent. In big moments where coaching is needed to win the game, McHale falls flat sometimes. I mean if McHale took bobcats or wizards to the playoffs that might be more recognized, but you have Harden on the team, Asik and Lin and a bunch of budding and growing players with pretty good chemistry. I would the say the team made McHale look good as a coach.
your summary is very precise. unfortunately, too many here jump in the lin war and the truth about Mchale isn't top priority anymore.
Come on don't y'all get it? The OP wanted the hate for McHale and the hate for Lin, LOF be carried out in parallel, not one substituted by the another. Hate hate hate, more hate man
I do think the OP constructively criticized McHale though. I didn't see anything in his post that suggested a hateful response or an agenda driven comment. I for one have never called him McFail and always try to provide reasoned analysis for my critique but more often than not people jump down my throat labeling me a LOF or wtv.
I'm pretty sure McHale's coaching inability is pretty much felt by most people here. There are some couldn't handle the truth, much like lof or hof. Problems with him: 1. No x and o. He was a great player but really don't know what to do with his 5 players on the court. 2. Can’t control the players. There are plenty of time Harden ignored McHale’s instruction. There’s no way McHale can succeed even if he’s a great in game coach while his players don’t respect his calls. 3. Never taken any responsiblity. There's not once during post game he blame himself for his stubbornness to adjust, questionable rotation, unable to do anything positibe after timeouts, etc. I really doubt he watches film and reflects what he could do better. People defending McHale saying Morey hire assistant coaches to do those jobs. Then why do we need McHale again? What is he the one with white board during timeouts again?
