I was surprised as any one when McHale got an extension but one thing you can say about the Rockets is that we always seemed to have good chemistry. People seemed to enjoy playing here with the exception of Lowry (who still spoke highly of McHale this summer and admit he had faults in it too). I think some of that is McHale's leadership style. Given how much Morey wheels and deals, I think the fact that people we shuffle in almost always seems to bond instantly is pretty important. I just loved how guys like Terry, Smith, Brewer, Prigs are all new additions and seemed to blend in. We have two talented young PF in Jones and DMO that while might wish for more playing time, rarely let it seem like an issue on the court. Once again, maybe that's the stuff McHale brings that we don't see.
I've been saying that all season. There's a lot more to being a successful NBA coach than x's and o's. Coach McHale is the best I've ever seen at building team chemistry. He seamlessly integrated an end of the bench player in Brewer into a major force off the bench. He turned around Josh's career which was in free fall after Detroit cut him. Look at the improvement in Dorsey and now Capela. There is no question he gets a bad rap on this forum...and most of it is just crap without any basketball basis.
i take cracks on mchale but i dont hate him. i still think he's an average in game coach. but off the court he's clearly one of the best. he gets everyone on the same page. u dont see the players fighting amongst themselves. and of course the players like him. perfect lead assistant coach
Good post. Morey essentially mentioned this when McHale was extended. As someone who has as one of my main job duties to maintain good work chemistry at my office this has always been obvious to me.
Probably wrong thread to ask this, but will Beverley and McDaniels get champions rings when we win the finals, since they won't be part of the team next and NBA gives those rings the following season.
I've always thought people have been too hard on McHale or harder than they should have been based on the circumstances. People forget but McHale was brought in to be our "rebuild" coach. His first year here we had a mediocre team, at best. That was the shortened year when we "traded" Martin, Dragic and Scola for Gasol but the trade was rescinded, yet we still made a playoff push amidst the drama. The following year was supposed to be our real rebuild year with the Lin and Asik acquisitions. The moment we landed Harden and the found out he could be/was a star was when expectations changed, and McHale had to adjust accordingly. We shouldn't forget that this is the first time McHale is coaching a real team with real expectations. His teams in Minny were not talented and what he was supposed to coach in Houston wasn't supposed to be this talented, this soon. Overall, I think McHale has done a great job managing the team and individual players. Sure he makes the weirdest rotations and adjustments sometimes but I credit that to him not knowing what to do in those situations because he has never been in those situations as a coach. He has a lot to learn if we ever hope to win a title but if last night proved anything, he is learning.
i agree that he's great at chemistry, and recruiting free agents. sure, you could get an assistant to be the X's and O's guy, and hopefully mchale picks up some of those X's and O's along the way. if you recall, doc rivers was just a "motivator" in orlando when he began his career. it was only after thibs was brought on as an assistant that doc learned how to be a strategist. mchale can level up if paired with good strategic assistant coaches that he can learn from. sampson was good, but mchale relied on him too much and didn't look like he learned anything once sampson left. also, JB has a bright future. he's got his dad as a mentor, and his dad was an above average strategist.
There was a post game interview Josh Smith did where he said something along the lines of "these guys are my brothers". When he said it you knew meant it. McHale's a chemistry builder. Probably why he's still here
McHale might be one of the best developmental coaches in the NBA. Very rarely does a player do any better after leaving the Rockets. He has done a very good job of only playing players in meaningful NBA minutes once they are ready. Parsons got to play right away because he was ready. Guys like Jones and DMo weren't ready so they sat and learned. It looks like he might have plugged in Capela at the right time as well. Give credit to the Rockets organization for investing in and heavily utilizing the D-League
Thanks for bringing this topic up. I have wondered what happend to the posters who used to cry 'locker room cancer' about Howard then Smith. Both apear to be tereffic teammates who actually play team-first ball.
yes they would get rings. the entire team gets a ring including all the coaches and training staff i believe
The ball movement was excellent. Even though Smith was mistake prone on offense. Having him work at the top of the key real is a mismatch.
He was suppose to be a placeholder for someone that was sitting on his staff . . . if i recall Rocket River Where is that guy?
