Kevin Martin scored 31 points to lead the Houston Rockets to their seventh straight victory, 107-92 over Minnesota on Monday night in coach Kevin McHale’s first game back at Target Center since he was fired by the Timberwolves in 2009.
     

Kyle Lowry had 16 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds and Samuel Dalembert grabbed 15 rebounds for the Rockets, who put the game away with a 19-1 run bridging the third and fourth quarters.
     

Kevin Love had 39 points and 12 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who committed 10 turnovers in the fourth quarter in coach Rick Adelman’s first game against the team he spent the last four seasons coaching.
     

Ricky Rubio had 12 assists for Minnesota, but the rookie scored just six points on 2-for-10 shooting and turned the ball over five times.
     

The Rockets started the season 3-7 and were 0-5 on the road against Western Conference foes entering the game.
     

But the 6-foot-7 Martin was way too much for Minnesota’s small backcourt, overwhelming Luke Ridnour and Wayne Ellington with an array of cuts to the basket, turn-around jumpers and even a one-handed runner off one foot that swished through that gave the Rockets a 50-42 lead late in the first half.
     

The Wolves turned up the defense to take a 70-65 lead late in the third, but the Rockets blew the doors open with that big run to take control. Goran Dragic scored eight in the surge and finished with 14 points.
     

McHale was booed lustily when introduced before the game, a startling reception for someone who once was one of this state’s most revered sports heroes.
     

McHale grew up in Hibbing on Minnesota’s Iron Range and starred at the University of Minnesota before a Hall of Fame pro career with the Boston Celtics.
     

He took over as GM of the Timberwolves in 1995 and helped one of the league’s most woeful franchises become relevant when he drafted Kevin Garnett out of high school in June of that year. The Wolves made the playoffs eight straight years, the last a magical run to the Western Conference finals in 2004.
     

The Wolves haven’t been back to the postseason since, with a series of ill-fated decisions by McHale contributing to their downfall. He was fired in 2009 and spent two seasons in television before joining the Rockets this year.
     

Adelman had a similar exit from Houston, with management deciding not to give him another contract after last season.
     

Martin, Lowry and Luis Scola all went over to shake Adelman’s hand before the game. Adelman spent four seasons in Houston and helped an undermanned team take the Lakers to seven games in the 2009 Western Conference finals.
     

NOTES: The short-handed Wolves were without Michael Beasley (sprained right foot) for the 10th straight game, J.J. Barea (strained left hamstring) for the sixth time in seven games and forward Wes Johnson (illness). … Minnesota rookie Derrick Williams got his first career start and finished with 11 points and seven rebounds. … Rockets F Patrick Patterson picked up three fouls in just over 1 minute of playing time in the first quarter.
      

      
      (Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)
 

The Oklahoma City Thunder have gotten a couple of much-needed days off
following one of the most hectic opening schedules in the league. They won’t get
any more rest this weekend.

They’ll play three games in three days beginning with a home-and-home series
against the Houston Rockets that starts Friday night at Chesapeake Energy Arena.

Oklahoma City was one of two teams along with the Los Angeles Lakers to play
seven games in the first 10 days of the season, and the Thunder (5-2) appeared
to show signs of fatigue toward the end of that stretch.

They dropped back-to-back games following their first 5-0 start since
winning six in a row to open the 1998-99 season when they were the Seattle
SuperSonics.

Oklahoma City averaged 90.0 points and shot 41.9 percent over its two
defeats after averaging 102.0 points on 48.0 percent shooting during the
unbeaten start. The Thunder are 10 for 39 (25.6 percent) from 3-point range in
two games this month after leading the Western Conference in December at 41.7
percent.

They haven’t played since Tuesday, when Kevin Durant was 1 of 7 on 3-point
tries and missed 18 of 26 shots overall in a 103-93 loss to Portland. While
Durant had 19 points for his second-lowest total of the season, James Harden
scored a team-best 23 starting for an ill Thabo Sefolosha.

“We definitely miss (Sefolosha), but there are no excuses,” coach Scott
Brooks said. “We have enough in our locker room to get the job done. … We just
have to play better. We understand that sometimes it takes a tough loss.”

The two-day break could lead to an improved performance Friday, as could a
matchup with a Rockets team which is winless in four road games. Oklahoma City
has won four of five over Houston (2-4), including three straight at home by
double digits.

The teams meet again Saturday night at the Toyota Center before the Thunder
host San Antonio on Sunday.

“Three in a row is going to be tough, but it’s something we’ve got to fight
through,” Durant said. “The two days off before is going to help.”

Durant reached 30 points in each of the first four games but hasn’t done so
in the last three, averaging 19.3. He’s scored at least 30 in the last two
matchups with the Rockets.

“I’m a scorer, so I can’t get down on one game,” the two-time scoring
champion said. “I can’t let it snowball to the next.”

Houston, meanwhile, is trying to salvage the end of a three-game trip that
included its most lopsided defeat of the season, 117-89 to the Los Angeles
Clippers on Wednesday.

The Rockets gave up 41 points in the first quarter – the most allowed by any
team in one period this season – and scored 14 in the fourth, their fewest in
one period.

“We made mistakes offensively and defensively,” said guard Kyle Lowry, who
scored a team-high 17 points. “It’s just something we’ve got to figure out. We
can’t have nights like this. It was a terrible day for us.”

Lowry was one of six players in double figures during Houston’s lone win
over Oklahoma City last season, 99-98 on Nov. 28, 2010. Kevin Martin had a
team-best 23 points and has averaged 23.3 over his last 15 matchups with the
Thunder.

Martin has averaged 12.8 points in Houston’s four road losses, compared to
26.0 in its two home wins.

HOUSTON (AP)—It was a deal designed to propel the Houston Rockets toward
the top of the Western Conference.

The Rockets were willing to deal away top scorers Kevin Martin and Luis
Scola and backup point guard Goran Dragic to land Pau Gasol.

Instead, the NBA killed the three-team deal and the Rockets were forced to
prepare for the 2011-12 season with much of the same team that missed the
playoffs last year with a 43-39 record.

Point guard Kyle Lowry and swing forward Chase Budinger will rejoin Martin
and Scola in the starting lineup. Jordan Hill or Patrick Patterson are the
likely candidates to fill the forward spot vacated when the team couldn’t
re-sign Chuck Hayes.

The Rockets open the season Monday on the road against Orlando.

By New Year’s Day, the Houston Rockets will be very familiar
with their rivals to the West.

The Rockets will host the San Antonio Spurs in both teams’ NBA
season opener on Dec. 29.

It’s the first game in a 66-game schedule; the NBA season was
shortened by 16 games due to the lockout.

Houston will host the Spurs in an exhibition game on Dec. 17 and
visit San Antonio for a second and final exhibition game on Dec.
21.

The Spurs earned the top seed in the Western Conference last
season but lost to the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round. The
Rockets missed the playoffs.

Houston will visit the Grizzlies on Dec. 30 and host Atlanta on
New Year’s Eve.

By Brian McDonald

– Staff Writer

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Aug 11, 2011 – Sunday May 25th, 1997

You can make the argument that the 1996-1997 team was the best Rockets team not to win the championship, and they didn’t even make the NBA Finals after losing in the Western Conference Finals in 6 games to the Utah Jazz. Though it must be said that it should have gone 7 games if not for a terrible non-call on Malone’s mugging of Drexler that allowed Stockton to hit the game winner in Game 6. Two games before that, Eddie Johnson hit the 3rd best shot in Rockets history; behind Ralph Sampson and Mario Elie of course. That years team of course didn’t look the same as the Championship teams from 94 & 95 because on August 19th, 1996 the Rockets traded Chucky Brown, Mark Bryant, Sam Cassell, and Robert Horry to the Phoenix Suns for Charles Barkley and a 2nd round pick. A month later Kenny Smith signed with the Detroit Pistons and the only starter left from the 1994 Championship team was Hakeem Olajuwon.

Despite Barkley and Drexler missing a combined 49 games, the new look Rockets won 57 games, finished as the 3rd seed in the West, were 5th in the league in points per game, 6th in total rebounds, and 2nd in three-pointers made. They obviously had top end talent with 3 future Hall of Famers, but their depth deserves some credit too; they had 7 players average at least 9 points per game.

To reach another meeting with the Jazz, the Rockets swept the Timberwolves in the 1st round and put away their arch nemisis at the time, the Seattle Supersonics, in 7 tough games. The stage was now set for another classic Rockets vs. Jazz series. The Rockets won their last two playoff series vs the Jazz, 4-1 in the 1994 Western Conference Finals and 3-2 in the 1st round of the 1995 Playoffs. That years Jazz team though had learned it’s lesson and took the first two games of the Western Finals by an average of 13.5 points per game. The Rockets rebounded in Game 3 and blew out the Jazz 118-100 to cut the series to 2-1. The win set up a crucial Game 4, if they lost, they’d almost certainly be done in 5 when the series headed back to Utah.

The Jazz led 53-48 at half, but the Rockets battled back with a 27-23 3rd quarter to cut the lead to 1 point going into the 4th quarter. Olajuwon had another signature game with 27 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 blocks, and 3 steals. Barkley also had a big game for the Rockets with 20 points and 16 rebounds. His counterpart Karl Malone did not play as well, finishing with 22 points but shot only 10-28 (35%). John Stockton led the way for the Jazz with 22 points on 9-12 shooting with 8 assists and 4 rebounds.

The first 3 games of this series weren’t very competitive, but Game 4 went down to the very last second. With the game tied at 92-92, the Rockets had the ball at midcourt with 6.7 seconds left. As the NBC announcers point out, they were going to take the last shot, so it was win or overtime. On the court for the Rockets were Olajuwon, Barkley, Drexler, Johnson, and Maloney; the reported plan was to go to Hakeem early, if he was covered, then look for Barkley or Eddie Johnson. On the play, Johnson inbounded the ball to Maloney, Maloney passed it to Drexler who got trapped, Drexler back to Maloney, Maloney passes over to Johnson who puts up the shot over Hornacek with .3 seconds left…nailed it!

In Game 3 Johnson was the hero with 31 points on 12-17 shooting, including 5-8 from behind the arc. Game 4 was different, Johnson was 1-4 from the field before he nailed the game winner. When asked what it felt like to be on the court and be part of a win like that, Charles Barkley responded, “It was surreal. I don’t know what it means, but I heard somebody say it the other day and it sounded pretty damn smart, so that’s what it was. Yeah, it was surreal.”

Unfortunately, the Jazz returned the favor in Game 6 with John Stockton’s game winner to end the series and send Utah to their first NBA Finals. The Game 6 loss didn’t just end that season however, it ended the Rockets run as one of the Western Conference elites. Many new players like Scottie Pippen and Steve Francis would join the team, but the Rockets didn’t win another playoff series until the 2008-2009 season; an 11 season draught.

Johnson will obviously never have his number retired at Toyota Center, but that shot was incredible and one of the best moments in team history.

Read More: Sam Cassell (A – WAS), Robert Horry (F – SAN), Steve Francis (G – MEM), Mario Elie (A – SAC), Mark Bryant (A – OKC), Scottie Pippen (F – CHI), Detroit Pistons, Phoenix Suns, Minnesota Timberwolves, Houston Rockets, Utah Jazz

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(Reuters) – Houston Rockets center Yao Ming retired on Wednesday after eight seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

* Born September 12, 1980 in Shanghai, China.

* An only child of two former professional basketball players, Yao started playing at age nine.

* Married Ye Li, a former basketball player with the Chinese national team, in 2007.

* The couple celebrated the birth of their first child, a daughter named Amy, in May 2010.

* He routinely tops Forbes’ list of China’s most valuable celebrities.

* Co-wrote an autobiography titled: Yao: A Life in Two Worlds in 2004 revealing a life lived between two cultures.

* He has been credited with the NBA’s popularity boost in China and throughout Asia, spiking merchandise sales and TV ratings.

* He was selected with the first overall pick by the Houston Rockets in the 2002 NBA Draft.

* Made his NBA debut on October 30, 2002, recording two rebounds, two turnovers and no points in 11 minutes of playing time.

* Scored his first NBA point during his second game, ending with two points in 13 minutes against the Denver Nuggets.

* He finished second in NBA Rookie of the Year voting after averaging 13.5 points and 8.2 rebounds in 82 games during the 2002-03 season.

* He set career-highs for points (41) and assists (seven) during a February 2004 game versus Atlanta Hawks.

* The seven-foot, six-inch (2.3-meter) center was the NBA’s tallest player at time of his retirement and responsible for soaring Chinese interest in the game.

* Missed only two games during his first three NBA seasons before injuries limited his playing time.

* Yao played 57 of a possible 82 games in the 2005-06 season because of an infection in his left big toe and a broken left foot suffered late that same season.

* Limited to 48 games and 55 games over the following two seasons, Yao played 77 games in 2008-09 but suffered a hairline fracture in his foot during the Western Conference semi-finals that required surgery.

* Missed the entire 2009-10 NBA season after suffering a fractured bone in his left foot.

* His final appearance for the Rockets came on Nov 10 when he injured his ankle in Houston’s loss to the Washington Wizards, his fifth game of the 2010-11 NBA season.

* Yao, eight-times an NBA All-Star selection, averaged 19.0 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.9 blocks and 1.6 assists in 486 career NBA games.

* He carried the Chinese flag during the opening ceremony of the 2004 Athens Olympics and 2008 Beijing Olympics.

* Won three gold medals and three Most Valuable Player awards with China at the FIBA Asian Championship (2001, 2003 and 2005) (Compiled by Frank Pingue; Editing by Patrick Johnston)

Rockets add Sampson, three others to coaching staff

Houston, TX (Sports Network) – Houston Rockets head coach Kevin McHale
announced on Friday that he has hired Kelvin Sampson, John-Blair “J.B.”
Bickerstaff, Chris Finch and Brett Gunning as assistant coaches on his staff.

McHale, who was hired on June 1 to replace Rick Adelman, will make two-time
NCAA National Coach of the Year Kelvin Sampson his lead assistant.

Sampson joins the Rockets after spending three seasons as an assistant coach
with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Prior to moving into the NBA, Sampson was head coach at Indiana University
(2006-08) where his teams went 43-15 and received NCAA Tournament bids in both
of his two campaigns.

Sampson earned two National Coach of the Year awards during his 12 seasons at
Oklahoma University (1994-2006). He led the Sooners to the postseason every
year and ended with a 279-109 record at Oklahoma.

Bickerstaff has spent the past four seasons (2007-11) as an assistant coach
with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He also spent three years (2004-07) as an
assistant coach to his father, Bernie Bickerstaff, with the Charlotte Bobcats.

Finch spent two campaigns as head coach of Houston’s single-affiliation NBA
Development League partner the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. In two seasons at the
helm of the Vipers, Finch registered a mark of 67-33 and guided Rio Grande
Valley to back-to-back D-League Finals. In 2009-10, Finch took home the Dennis
Johnson Coach of the Year Award en route to capturing the 2009-10 D-League
championship. Finch also led the Western Conference All-Stars to a win at the
2009 D-League All-Star Game in Dallas.

Gunning begins his fourth season on the Rockets’ staff.

07/15 18:24:39 ET

Houston, TX (Sports Network) – Houston Rockets head coach Kevin McHale
announced on Friday that he has hired Kelvin Sampson, John-Blair “J.B.”
Bickerstaff, Chris Finch and Brett Gunning as assistant coaches on his staff.

McHale, who was hired on June 1 to replace Rick Adelman, will make two-time
NCAA National Coach of the Year Kelvin Sampson his lead assistant.

Sampson joins the Rockets after spending three seasons as an assistant coach
with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Prior to moving into the NBA, Sampson was head coach at Indiana University
(2006-08) where his teams went 43-15 and received NCAA Tournament bids in both
of his two campaigns.

Sampson earned two National Coach of the Year awards during his 12 seasons at
Oklahoma University (1994-2006). He led the Sooners to the postseason every
year and ended with a 279-109 record at Oklahoma.

Bickerstaff has spent the past four seasons (2007-11) as an assistant coach
with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He also spent three years (2004-07) as an
assistant coach to his father, Bernie Bickerstaff, with the Charlotte Bobcats.

Finch spent two campaigns as head coach of Houston’s single-affiliation NBA
Development League partner the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. In two seasons at the
helm of the Vipers, Finch registered a mark of 67-33 and guided Rio Grande
Valley to back-to-back D-League Finals. In 2009-10, Finch took home the Dennis
Johnson Coach of the Year Award en route to capturing the 2009-10 D-League
championship. Finch also led the Western Conference All-Stars to a win at the
2009 D-League All-Star Game in Dallas.

Gunning begins his fourth season on the Rockets’ staff.

The Sports Network

Updated Jun 1, 2011 7:06 PM ET

HOUSTON (AP)

Kevin McHale is a Hall of Fame player who won three NBA championships with Boston, a longtime former executive for Minnesota and twice a fill-in coach for the Timberwolves.

Now the 53-year-old will take on a new challenge: coaching the Houston Rockets full time.

 

Looking for the latest on the Rockets? Get the inside slant, stats, scores, schedules and more scoops right here.

 

McHale was hired to lead the Rockets on Wednesday, where he will begin a season as an NBA coach for the first time in his career.

After several days of speculation and reports that he was taking the job, the Rockets made it official 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. He was let go in 2009 and has recently served as a TV analyst.

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

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 returns 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 2004-05 season after he fired Flip Saunders, but he has never coached a full NBA season.

”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.”

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.

CHEER UP!

Your team may not have a lot to cheer about, but we know who can turn frowns upside down. Check snapshots of NBA dancers.

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 went on a run of seven straight playoff appearances from 1997-2004 and reached the Western Conference finals in ’04.

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.

Comment Below!.

HOUSTON — Kevin McHale is a Hall of Fame player who won three NBA championships with Boston, a longtime former executive for Minnesota and twice a fill-in coach for the Timberwolves.

Now the 53-year-old will take on a new challenge: coaching the Houston Rockets full time.

McHale was hired to lead the Rockets on Wednesday, where he will begin a season as an NBA coach for the first time in his career.

After several days of speculation and reports that he was taking the job, the Rockets made it official 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. He was let go in 2009 and has recently served as a TV analyst.

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

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 returns 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 2004-05 season after he fired Flip Saunders, but he has never coached a full NBA season.

“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.”

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 went on a run of seven straight playoff appearances from 1997-2004 and reached the Western Conference finals in ’04.

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 (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 today 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 [team stats]) 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.

HOUSTON —
It’s official: Hall of Famer Kevin McHale is headed to Houston.

Confirming numerous reports over the past couple days, McHale said Tuesday night he has agreed to become the Rockets’ next coach. The former Boston Celtics great takes over for Rick Adelman, who left the team days after his fourth season in Houston ended. “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,” McHale told NBA.com before Game 1 of the NBA finals. McHale’s first coaching experience came when he took over the Timberwolves for the last 31 games of the 2005 season after he fired Flip Saunders. The longtime Minnesota executive went back to the front office after that, then returned to coach in 2008 after Randy Wittman was fired. McHale, 53, went 20-43 after taking over that season before the Timberwolves let him go. He had been working as a TV analyst. “Kevin’s experiences as a player, coach and general manager, coupled with his tremendous knowledge of the game and players, made him a terrific analyst for NBA TV and TNT,” Turner Sports President David Levy said in a release. “Our audience will miss his diverse perspective and terrific sense of humor. We wish Kevin the best of luck in his new role as head coach of the Houston Rockets.” 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 2008-09. That season 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 honored as one of the 50 greatest NBA players of all time in 1996.

(Copyright ©2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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.

HOUSTON – A person familiar with the situation says the Houston Rockets are close to hiring Kevin McHale as their new coach.

The person says the team is negotiating a contract with McHale. The person spoke Friday on condition of anonymity because the deal is not yet complete.

McHale would take over for Rick Adelman, who left the team days after his fourth season in Houston.

McHale, a Hall of Fame player for the Boston Celtics, spent 15 years with the Timberwolves in his native Minnesota. He was let go in 2009 and has recently served as a TV analyst.

The 53-year-old McHale would become 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.

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’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.

McHale’s first coaching experience came when he took over the Wolves for the last 31 games of the 2005 season after he fired Flip Saunders. He went back to the front office after that before returning to the position in 2008 after Randy Wittman was fired.

He went 20-43 after taking over that season before the Timberwolves let him go.

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.