McHale, after a spell coaching the Minnesota Timberwolves, has taken over at
the Rockets this year and brought in an entirely new coaching team including
Finch who has made a big impression these last two years at the Vipers who
are an associate and feeder team for the Rockets.

“Kevin is a really great guy to work for and tries to mix it up for all
the assistant coaches,” said Finch. “I’m working a lot on the
offensive side of the things mostly but I am also heavily involved in “scouting”
the up-coming opposition – we have divided the future games amongst and I
will scout a third of them which is a really challenging part of the job.

“Once the schedule kicks in on Christmas Day its going to be pretty
intense because after the lockout we have still been left with a 66 game
regular season in just about four months. The games and the quality
opposition comes at you thick and fast but you still need to get your
homework done and make the best of any preparation time you have.

“We have escaped fairly lightly at the Rockets in terms of tripleheaders
– we have got just the one – but we have got a brutish run of six road games
in ten days in February and we have also got a hell of a start over the
first ten games, probably the toughest in the NBA with play-off opposition
almost all the way.

“Being a young team and with a brand new set of coaches we might have
benefited more than most from a traditional pre-season camp and eight or
nine warm-up games but this is nor a normal season and we will have to learn
on the run this time round. We will get an opportunity to catch our breathe
after that first run of ten games, absorb the lessons and then go again.”

Finch and everybody at the Rockets will be fully engrossed with the NBA until
at least the end of April and hopefully a bit longer after that if the
play-offs beckon so Olympics thoughts and plans go on the back burner for a
while. Mind you that’s the nature of the beast and the challenge facing just
about every top level Basketball player and coach from all the participating
nations ahead of London.

“Whether you are a player or a coach your sole focus for the next six
months or so has to be your club and maximising your game or contribution.
That is your Olympic preparation because no matter where you are until that
first Olympic camp comes around sometime in early June or so and the pre
Olympic warm-up games there is not a whole lot you can do collectively.
First and foremost you are a professional Basketball player or coach.

“I had a good spell during the lockout when I was able to watch a lot of
matches on TV or online featuring GB players and just recently I’ve also
seen a couple of our College lads in America. Andrew Lawrence was absolutely
phenomenal for Charleston in one of them and earned a good deal of publicity.”

Probably the biggest news GB wise is that Pops Mensah Bonsu is fit and healthy
again, a little ahead of prediction after his shoulder surgery, and is
already getting some good game time in Turkey with Besiktas. He seems to
have hit the ground running in a strong league.

“I can’t imagine there is anybody out there more “up” for 2012
than Pops,” added Finch. “He is living and dreaming the
opportunity to play at a London Olympics and he is an important individual
for us. We missed him last summer as a player and we missed him around the
place, the energy and passion he brings to everything.

“For the next chunk of time though its all about the Rockets and getting
the season under way. It’s a huge challenge but like everybody else I can
hardly wait.”

NBA Christmas Day Matches

Boston Celtics v New York Knicks

Miami Heat v Dallas Mavericks

Chicago Bulls v LA Lakers

Orlando Magic v Oklahoma City Thunder

LA Clippers v Golden State Warrior

HOUSTON, Texas (AFP) – Yao Ming would be welcomed back to the Houston Rockets if the Chinese giant is able to continue his NBA career after his latest injury rehabilitation, new Rockets coach Kevin McHale said Friday.

In his first public comments since signing with the team, McHale said he hopes the 2.26m center is able to return.

“We would all be really happy if Yao comes back to play and I hope he can,” McHale said. “He will give it his best shot. His body is going to dictate if he can come back and play. That’s all going to be laid out in the future.”

Yao played in only five games last season and underwent surgery in January for a stress fracture in his left ankle, the latest in a series of injury setbacks that have haunted him in recent seasons.

With perennial All-Star Yao only playing a limited role, the Rockets have missed the playoffs in the past two seasons.

Yao’s contract expires with the conclusion of the season but Rockets owner Leslie Alexander has said he would like to have Yao back if Yao is able to continue his NBA career.

“Who wouldn’t like Yao Ming — a big guy who can really make shots, just a huge force in the middle?” Mchale said.

“That’s out of my control. We’ll see where that goes.”

Yao said two weeks ago that he wants to play for the Rockets but is uncertain he will play again at all because of his injuries and will likely not know his status until at least another couple of months.

“I would like to be here. Nowhere else is better than Houston for me right now,” Yao said. “The only issue is my injury. We will know more in August or September.”

McHale, 53, replaced Rick Adelman, who was not brought back after guiding the Rockets for the past four seasons.

McHale won three NBA titles in the 1980s during a 13-year career as a center for the Boston Celtics and has been an executive for the Minnesota Timberwolves over 16 seasons, twice serving in temporary part-season stints as a coach.

“They have pieces in place here that are very good pieces that can be part of a championship-type team,” McHale said. “Our goal is to make the playoffs next year. That’s just what it is and that’s going to fall on me to do it.”

Updated Jun 3, 2011 1:07 PM ET

HOUSTON (AP)

Houston Rockets owner Leslie Alexander officially introduced Kevin McHale as the team’s new coach on Friday.

Thanks for reading! .

HOUSTON — Houston Rockets owner Leslie Alexander officially introduced Kevin McHale as the team’s new coach on Friday.

Alexander says he has found a “leader of men” and the “perfect fit” in the former Boston Celtics great.

The 53-year-old McHale replaces Rick Adelman, who parted ways with the team after four seasons. The Rockets have missed the playoffs the past two seasons.

McHale was working as a television analyst. He says he missed the competition and set a playoff berth as an immediate goal.

A seven-time all-star, McHale helped Boston win three NBA championships during a 13-year playing career. McHale then worked 16 seasons as an executive with the Minnesota Timberwolves, including two stints as interim head coach.

HOUSTON (AP) — Houston Rockets owner Leslie Alexander officially introduced Kevin McHale as the team’s new coach on Friday.

Alexander says he has found a “leader of men” and the “perfect fit” in the former Boston Celtics great.

The 53-year-old McHale replaces Rick Adelman, who parted ways with the team after four seasons. The Rockets have missed the playoffs the past two seasons.

McHale was working as a television analyst. He says he missed the competition and set a playoff berth as an immediate goal.

A seven-time All-Star, McHale helped Boston win three NBA championships during a 13-year playing career. McHale then worked 16 seasons as an executive with the Minnesota Timberwolves, including two stints as interim head coach.

HOUSTON – Houston Rockets owner Leslie Alexander officially introduced Kevin McHale as the team’s new coach on Friday.

Alexander says he has found a “leader of men” and the “perfect fit” in the former Boston Celtics great.

The 53-year-old McHale replaces Rick Adelman, who parted ways with the team after four seasons. The Rockets have missed the playoffs the past two seasons.

McHale was working as a television analyst. He says he missed the competition and set a playoff berth as an immediate goal.

A seven-time All-Star, McHale helped Boston win three NBA championships during a 13-year playing career. McHale then worked 16 seasons as an executive with the Minnesota Timberwolves, including two stints as interim head coach.

POSTED: Friday, June 3, 2011

UPDATED: 10:51 am CDT June 3, 2011

HOUSTON, June 1 (UPI) — The Houston Rockets Wednesday named Kevin McHale as their new head coach, replacing the fired Rick Adelman.

McHale, 53, a Hall of Fame player with the Boston Celtics in the 1980s, previously coached the Minnesota Timberwolves in two stints totaling 94 games and worked in the team’s front office from 1993-2009.

Adelman, who coached the Rockets for four seasons, was let go after the team finished the 2010-11 season with a 43-39 record and missed the playoffs for a second consecutive year.

“As we explored the opportunity to come to Houston, it felt like the right situation for me,” McHale said. “I enjoy the competitive nature of our game and I am looking forward to getting to work with the very talented roster of players that are already in place here in Houston.”

Rockets owner Leslie Alexander cited McHale’s success as a player with the Celtics, with whom he won three NBA championships and was selected as an all-star seven times over a 13-year career.

“Kevin’s hard-nosed work ethic and tenacity on the court led him to a Hall of Fame career and a legacy as one of the NBA’s greatest low post players of all time,” Alexander said.

HOUSTON (AP) — Kevin McHale has been hired to coach the Houston Rockets.

The Rockets made it official on Wednesday that McHale will take over for Rick Adelman, who left the team days after his fourth season in Houston.

McHale spent 15 years with the Timberwolves in his native Minnesota. The Boston Celtics Hall of Famer was let go in 2009 and has recently served as a TV analyst. Reports on Friday said he was taking the job.

The 53-year-old McHale becomes Houston’s third coach since 2003, when Rudy Tomjanovich stepped down for health reasons. Jeff Van Gundy coached the team from 2003-07, taking the Rockets to three playoff appearances.

McHale says coaching the Rockets is the “right situation” for him.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

HOUSTON, Texas (AFP) – Kevin McHale was confirmed as the new coach of the Houston Rockets on Wednesday by the NBA club, which dropped Rick Adelman in April after the team failed to reach the playoffs.

McHale, who agreed to terms on the deal last week, takes over just three weeks ahead of the NBA Draft and with only one month remaining in the NBA’s contract between owners and players as a possible shutdown looms in July.

McHale, a former Boston Celtics star and Minnesota Timberwolves executive who twice was forced into an interim coaching role at Minnesota, won three NBA crowns in the 1980s during a 13-season career with the Celtics.

“Kevin McHale is a proven NBA champion who has the leadership skills and basketball knowledge necessary to guide our team into the future,” Rockets owner Les Alexander said.

The 53-year-old American might have the chance to guide another famed NBA big man if 2.26m Chinese star center Yao Ming, who missed all but five games last season with a broken foot, is able to return to the NBA and signs with the Rockets.

McHale becomes the club’s 12th coach and the third since 2003, when Rudy Tomjanovich stepped down because of health issues.

“It felt like the right situation for me,” McHale said. “I enjoy the competitive nature of our game and I am looking forward to getting to work with the very talented roster of players that are already in place here in Houston.”

HOUSTON (AP) — Kevin McHale has been hired to coach the Houston Rockets.

The Rockets made it official Wednesday that McHale will take over for Rick Adelman, who left the team days after his fourth season in Houston.

McHale spent 15 years with the Timberwolves in his native Minnesota. The Hall of Famer was let go in 2009 and has recently served as a TV analyst. Reports last Friday said he was taking the job.

He will be introduced at a news conference in Houston on Friday.

The 53-year-old McHale becomes Houston’s third coach since 2003, when Rudy Tomjanovich stepped down for health reasons. Jeff Van Gundy coached the team from 2003-07, taking the Rockets to three playoff appearances.

“As we explored the opportunity to come to Houston, it felt like the right situation for me,” McHale said in a statement. “I enjoy the competitive nature of our game and I am looking forward to getting to work with the very talented roster of players that are already in place here in Houston.”

He will return to coaching for the first time since posting a 20-43 record with the Timberwolves in the 2008-09 season, when he took over after Randy Wittman was fired. McHale also led Minnesota for the last 31 games of the 2004-2005 season after he fired Flip Saunders, but he has never coached a full NBA season.

Rockets owner Leslie Alexander believes McHale’s impressive basketball pedigree will lead to success in Houston despite his limited coaching experience.

“Kevin McHale is a proven NBA champion (with the Boston Celtics) who has the leadership skills and basketball knowledge necessary to guide our team into the future,” Alexander said. “Kevin’s hard-nosed work ethic and tenacity on the court led him to a Hall of Fame career and a legacy as one of the NBA’s greatest low-post players of all time. I’m looking forward to seeing Kevin share his unique basketball knowledge and experience.”

Houston has failed to reach the playoffs the last two years as it dealt with injuries that have limited All-Star center Yao Ming to just five games since the 2008-09 season. In Yao’s last healthy season, Houston reached the Western Conference semifinals, breaking a streak of seven consecutive first-round exits for the franchise.

The Rockets went 43-39 this season as one of the league’s highest-scoring teams, averaging 105.9 points per game.

Yao’s contract expires this summer, but he has said he hopes to continue playing for the Rockets when he recovers from the stress fracture to his left ankle.

McHale first joined the Timberwolves as a TV analyst and special assistant before he was promoted to assistant general manager in August 1994. He was promoted to vice president of basketball operations in 1995 and drafted Kevin Garnett with the fifth overall pick that year.

The Wolves soon began a run of seven straight playoff appearances from 1997-2004 and reached the Western Conference finals in 2004.

The highlight of McHale’s time as an executive in Minnesota was drafting Garnett. Subsequent moves and draft picks didn’t turn out as well and he became increasingly unpopular with fans.

McHale was the third overall pick in the 1980 draft, won three championships with the Celtics and was chosen in 1996 as one of the 50 greatest NBA players.

He was a seven-time All-Star in his 13 seasons with the Celtics. He won the NBA’s Sixth Man award twice and averaged 17.9 points and 7.3 rebounds for his career. He was even better in the playoffs where he averaged 18.8 points and 7.4 rebounds in 169 career games.

McHale was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999.

HOUSTON — Kevin McHale has been hired to coach the Houston Rockets.

The Rockets made it official Wednesday that McHale will take over for Rick Adelman, who left the team days after his fourth season in Houston.

McHale spent 15 years with the Timberwolves in his native Minnesota. The Hall of Famer was let go in 2009 and has recently served as a TV analyst. Reports last Friday said he was taking the job.

He will be introduced at a news conference in Houston on Friday.

The 53-year-old McHale becomes Houston’s third coach since 2003, when Rudy Tomjanovich stepped down for health reasons. Jeff Van Gundy coached the team from 2003-07, taking the Rockets to three playoff appearances.

“As we explored the opportunity to come to Houston, it felt like the right situation for me,” McHale said in a statement. “I enjoy the competitive nature of our game and I am looking forward to getting to work with the very talented roster of players that are already in place here in Houston.”

He will return to coaching for the first time since posting a 20-43 record with the Timberwolves in the 2008-09 season, when he took over after Randy Wittman was fired. McHale also led Minnesota for the last 31 games of the 2004-2005 season after he fired Flip Saunders, but he has never coached a full NBA season.

Rockets owner Leslie Alexander believes McHale’s impressive basketball pedigree will lead to success in Houston despite his limited coaching experience.

“Kevin McHale is a proven NBA champion (with the Boston Celtics) who has the leadership skills and basketball knowledge necessary to guide our team into the future,” Alexander said. “Kevin’s hard-nosed work ethic and tenacity on the court led him to a Hall of Fame career and a legacy as one of the NBA’s greatest low-post players of all time. I’m looking forward to seeing Kevin share his unique basketball knowledge and experience.”

Houston has failed to reach the playoffs the past two years as it dealt with injuries that have limited All-Star center Yao Ming to just five games since the 2008-09 season. In Yao’s last healthy season, Houston reached the Western Conference semifinals, breaking a streak of seven consecutive first-round exits for the franchise.

The Rockets went 43-39 this season as one of the league’s highest-scoring teams, averaging 105.9 points per game.

Yao’s contract expires this summer, but he has said he hopes to continue playing for the Rockets when he recovers from the stress fracture to his left ankle.

McHale first joined the Timberwolves as a TV analyst and special assistant before he was promoted to assistant general manager in August 1994. He was promoted to vice president of basketball operations in 1995 and drafted Kevin Garnett with the fifth overall pick that year.

The Wolves soon began a run of seven straight playoff appearances from 1997-2004 and reached the Western Conference finals in 2004.

The highlight of McHale’s time as an executive in Minnesota was drafting Garnett. Subsequent moves and draft picks didn’t turn out as well and he became increasingly unpopular with fans.

McHale was the third overall pick in the 1980 draft, won three championships with the Celtics and was chosen in 1996 as one of the 50 greatest NBA players.

He was a seven-time All-Star in his 13 seasons with the Celtics. He won the NBA’s Sixth Man award twice and averaged 17.9 points and 7.3 rebounds for his career. He was even better in the playoffs where he averaged 18.8 points and 7.4 rebounds in 169 career games.

McHale was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

Kevin McHale has agreed to become the next coach of the Houston Rockets.

McHale’s hire was originally reported on Friday. The TNT analyst confirmed that he had agreed to take the position on NBA TV’s pregame show before Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

“Doing the TV has been fantastic,” McHale told NBA.com Tuesday. “But this was a chance. It came up, I talked to them. I was a little uncertain whether I was going to jump in with both feet — I wanted it to be the right situation — but after spending time with them, I felt this is a good situation to get involved in.”

According to NBA.com, McHale will sign a three-year contract with an option for a fourth year. The former Boston Celtics star expects to be introduced as coach Friday in Houston, the website said.

McHale, formerly the Minnesota Timberwolves’ general manager, was 39-55 in two stints as the Wolves’ interim coach. He was 19-12 after taking over for Flip Saunders in the 2004-05 season and posted a 20-43 mark after replacing Randy Wittman for the final 63 games in the 2008-09 season.

“I had really wanted to coach again,” McHale told NBA.com. “You miss the competition when you’re away from it. That’s what I missed the last couple of years. I’ve done it my whole life.

“From a coaching standpoint, you have a lot more [impact] on the outcome of the game than when you’re GM-ing. My last stint with the guys in Minnesota, I really enjoyed myself with them. It was a younger team and I had a lot of fun doing it.”

McHale’s time as an executive in Minnesota was highlighted by drafting Kevin Garnett out of high school in 1995. Other moves and draft decisions didn’t go over as well with fans and he began to draw criticism.

Houston has missed the playoffs the last two years as it dealt with injuries that have limited All-Star center Yao Ming to just five games since the 2008-09 season. That year, Houston reached the Western Conference semifinals, breaking a streak of seven consecutive first-round exits for the franchise.

Yao’s contract expires this summer, but he has said he hopes to continue playing for the Rockets when he recovers from the stress fracture to his left ankle.

McHale was the third overall pick in the 1980 draft, won three championships with the Celtics and was named one of the 50 greatest NBA players of all time in 1996.

Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.