I was consistent with that point from the first day, through good days and through bad ones. McFail is an awful coach. I don't want to say anything about our records, slumps, couple of losses in a row at the starting sentences. Just a couple of focal points? 1. McFail will develop Rockets' young post players McFail is a perfect fit, cause he can develop all that Rockets post players that are on a team - that was the biggest "I'm OK with him" point in last offseason. Right now, J-Hill and Thabeet are developing in another teams' rosters, they were dumped because they didn't show any kind of improvement. Patrick Patterson is playing on above average level (well beyond his level at the same time last year) and Luis Scola, the focal point of our offense in the fourth quarters under Rick, was shooting jumpers for the most part of the season instead of going to the low-block, where he is a beast because of his argentinian tango moves. Morris is a D-league player, certainly a bust a bad tweener, those another guys like Smith and Adrien are not an NBA level performers at all. So, wtf is he developing? Nothing at all. Players are actually play worse under him than it was before. 2. Rockets will play better defense under McFail He has two seven footers that can rebound, block shots and control the paint area on a high level and we gave our opponents a chance to score 100 and more (sometimes a way more) points 12 times since March 1. And we are playing with big centers, they are 6 feet longer than Chuck, we are playing with Courtney instead of Martin and Chandler Pattinson instead of Budinger... and we're still a pretty bad defensive team with all the tools? How is this possible at all under "defensive minded coach"? 3. Rockets will be a playoff team Take a look at Standings. Trail Blazers' management blowed the place up. Hornets gave Chris Paul to the Flop City Clippers. Minnesota lost Ricky Rubio for the season when T-Wolves finally became a playoff caliber team. Dallas, Memphis and Lakers are not the same teams from last year because of several reasons, they are way weaker. Denver is not the same, too. When other teams are on the decline, we have a better roster than last year, we have bigger depth than last year, we have a two long defensive minded centers... and we are one loss away from elimination in playoffs race! How is it possible? These three basic topics are telling you everything. Wanna something else? Take a look on our offense, last year it was one of the best in the game (the league-leading team in assists). now it's horrible to watch. Kevin Martin, Luis Scola, Patterson and Budinger are all used in the wrong way by McFail and they are not the same in terms of productiveness. Take a look on our team play, on his decisions to go small with Scola as a center (if you're an adequate coach, you can't play 6'9 guy without athleticism, high-level rebounding and defensive-minded psychology at center position), to all his mistakes here and there and then.... let's remind a fact that he has a bunch of assistants that are doing a lot of his work, the work he should do. Let's use some imagination and pretend how Rick would use Marcus Camby on offense and defense with his abilities (shooting, rebounding, controlling the paints, passing from a high post, making a good decisions on the court) instead of that crap... This is just disgusting, especially when he can't cover it with a result that is actually based on everything that Rick did for Rockets in a past couple of seasons. How the hell is he considered as a coach?
He's done a good job in year 1. Don't expect player development miracles during a compressed, lockout season (with no offseason and shortened training camp).
I still have faith that morris will be able to contribute. Went to the game Friday Patterson looks likes he's forcing low post hooks a full off season with McHale will be beneficial.
I don't think you can fully give McHale a grade until he is 2 years into his job. Especially in this compressed season where he had no contact with players until the season practically started. He has done a good job with what he has had to work with. Of course it could be better but it could also be a lot worse. Gotta love these threads after loses. We should have 1 sticky thread where everyone can put their thoughts in after the loss. Or wait, why not put it in the game thread?
He was 0.500 when Rubio went down with a six players that can understand what he wants from them on the roster (Rubio, Ridnour, Barea, Love, Williams, Pekovic). Excellent result for the worst NBA team for the last five or so years
I don't know about what goes on outside the court but his tactics during a game leave a lot to be desired. 1. Going with a Scola/Ppat front court several times lets other teams attack the rim and inevitably outscore us. 2. His calling of timeouts always seem to be a few possessions too late. 3. His on game rotations and ability to think on his feet. There was a game where Dragic was playing with 5 PF and we had to foul to stop the clock and left Dragic on there and he fouled out. 4. Running plays out of a timeout.
Nice excuses for a guy with more talent on his team even after losing Rubio than ours (and we lost players too).
I have never liked McHale as a coach, probably because he is an ex Celtic - and he was a suspect coach in Minny. And this year is no different, I don't see anything tactically that he has done that I believe makes the team better, I think he consistently gets outcoached. To me, this is my biggest beef with Morey, he had all these quality coaches out there to choose from and he chooses, his old pal from Boston....WTF???????? McHale is good in the studio, and IMO, crap on the sidelines. DD
Do you honestly believe that Kevin McHale is a better basketball coach than Rick Adelman? And if so...would you honestly believe that if Rick were still coaching here in Houston and Kevin were coaching elsewhere (or nowhere else)??
I thought this thread was going to blame the Rockets struggles on Tracy Mcgrady. Then I read this junk.
I think Adelman is overrated and McHale brings something that Rick didn't in terms of making players accountable. Rick is the kind of coach you want when the pieces are there and ready. Mchale is the coach I want to teach the pieces how to become professionals.
Minnesota has Rick Adelman, Kevin Love, Derrick Williams, Pekovic, Barea, Beasley, and they had Rubio for half the season. If Adelman is so great, why are they out of the playoff picture?
Are you kidding? Barea has played 36 out of 61 games due to injuries. Beasley has appeared in 42 games, as well as Webster. Both Ridnour AND Rubio are out due to injuries. Love is out right now because of that concussion, Pekovic was out a couple of times as well. This team has been riddled with injuries this season, they even had to play a few games with just 7 players available (I think it was 7). You cannot expect them, under these circumstances, to still be battling for the playoffs, even with RA as a coach.
I have a very difficult time believing you'd hold that same position if McHale had not been hired by Morey last offseason. If McHale were in no way affiliated with the Houston Rockets, I doubt you'd find a person on this BBS who would dream up the idea that he's a better coach than Rick Adelman.
