Just months after leading them to the Western Conference Finals Kevin McHale has been fired by the Houston Rockets, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. The decision comes on the heels of Houston's 111-95 home loss to the Celtics on Monday, a defeat that dropped the Rockets to 4-7 on the season.
Kevin McHale reportedly fired as Rockets head coach
The first casualty of Houston’s slow start.
Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
In McHale's stead assistant coach J.B. Bickerstaf will take over head coaching duties on an interim basis, while assistant coach Chris Finch will become the team's associate head coach, per Wojnarowski.
The Rockets’ issues this season have started on the defensive end, where their 106.5 rating is the second-highest mark in the league. That the team’s once prolific offense is scoring just 98.5 points per 100 possessions, the seventh-lowest number in the NBA, has contributed to the disappointing start.
“No excuse for not being able to guard guys,” McHale said after the team’s loss to the Celtics Monday night, via ESPN, later adding: “We’re hanging our head. Things aren’t going our way and we hang our head. Bottom line, we haven’t put together really good basketball, all year.”
The next day the team called a players-only meeting.
"It was good for us to sit down and talk, but it's a long season and you can't get caught up in losing a couple of games and getting upset and so frustrated and feel like it's the end of the world," Rockets center Dwight Howard said, via ESPN. "It is embarrassing. We hate to lose but at the same time we have a long season and we can't think negative when we lose."
McHale’s firing comes less than a year after the Rockets signed him to a three-year, $13 million extension.
McHale took over as Rockets head coach 2011. In five seasons he went 193-130 and led Houston to the playoffs three times. His .598 career winning percentage is the best mark in franchise history.
Houston’s next game is Wednesday night at home against the Blazers.
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