I still don't like him overall - but I have to give him props for his adjustments in this series...well done coach. DD
I completely agree. I have wanted him gone since the moment we hired him. He earned my respect as a coach with the regular season record after all the injuries. Even if we lost yesterday I would still want him back. He made all the right moves yesterday. I always respected him as a person and it hurt my heart when he lost his daughter but now I respect him as a coach also. I was wrong.
Guy coached a heck of a series. If you can't give him credit for it than you're just an exposed McHale only Hater and are probably rooted for the Rockets to lose just so you could be right about him.... sadly there are folks here like that. I've been critical of him in the past too, and still will to this day. Next year I'd like to see some things change about the offense, and I'd love to see even better defensive consistency. However despite the weaknesses of the team, and the simplicity of their offensive execution (especially late in games), there is something McHale has as a gift which is really understanding buttons to push with key players, and putting them in great positions to be effective. He's really earned my trust with how he handles players as individuals that fit the pieces of the puzzle together. (side note: This team actually really reminds me of the 2009/2010 Lakers team. Lots of mismatched parts, and alot of weird lineups. But Phil did such a great job those two years of really putting guys in great positions to cover those weaknesses, and highlight strengths. Not comparing McHale to Phil, but it just goes to show you that knowing how to use your players skills in certain areas of gameplay is an underrated skill as a coach) Guy did a wonderful job having the right guys in the right positions to win the game. Also- The move he made to allow Dwight to stay in the game long enough to get hacked in order to get in the bonus early, and then pulled him.... that was great and made Doc look bad. The TJ small ball lineup I have a feeling we will see more this series as well especially if Kerr goes hack a whoever. Going to be interesting to see how things go in this series, but I feel like McHale has the right tools to coach a proper WCF series, and at least make it competitive. It all starts with perimeter defense in this one. Can Terry/Prig/Ariza/Harden really make the Splooge Brothers uncomfortable... we shall series. Props to McHale though for an excellent playoff showing thus far.
If the Rockets win a championship, McHale will have to accomplish: 1) Knock off an Xs and Os savant (Rick Carlise)-check 2) Knock off the respected former player, player's coach, media darling (Doc Rivers)-check 3) Knock off former analyst, coach of the year and media darling (Steve Kerr)-incomplete 4) Knock off EITHER Spurs system protege (Budenholzer) OR international Xs and Os genius (Blatt)-incomplete It would be quite the resume for the "puppet"
After game 4, I poster in here that I was on board with letting him go. I thought that he couldn't have done a worse job after games 3 and 4. Then, the rest of the series happened. He deserves to be here and we should be happy to have him. I don't know if we beat the Warriors because I just think they're the worst case scenario, in terms of matchups. That said, McHale outcoached 2 guys generally considered to be better coaches. Well done, Mr. McHale. Well done.
The Warriors series is house money to me. 1) We weren't supposed to be title contenders this year 2) We have 2/5 of our starting lineup out injured, one of whom has no backup capable of playing defense 3) The Warriors are the best team in basketball Short of a total embarrassment, there isn't much that can happen in this series that would sour my takeaway on this season. Of course I hope to win and I'll be disappointed if we lose, but I won't be angry with the coach or the organization.
McHale has been defying the odds all season. The regular season record with the onslaught of injuries was impressive and should have been the first indication of a successful campaign; although I was also rash to give the majority of credit to the players overcoming the adversity. I thought the worst possible/most feared matchup was the Clippers. If you had told me that we would beat the Clippers in the postseason without Beverly and DMo I would have thought you were crazy. Add on the fact that we overcame a 3-1 deficit and I surely would have thought one insane. As a previous poster mentioned, allowing Dwight to stay in the game during the initial hacking to get them in the penalty was brilliant. Hats off to the staff and the players for an incredible, and memorable, postseason.
The only downside of this post-season run is that McFail is going to stay on as coach of the Rockets.
i guess mchale didnt know bogut made 2nd team all-defense, and is advising a guy with no post skills to post him up lol what a joke
Chill... it usually takes Kevin a few games to make adjustments. Just look at the clippers series. Turned it at game 5.
