Sports

Houston Rockets fire coach Kevin McHale following 4-7 start

Wednesday, November 18, 2015
The Houston Rockets have fired head coach Kevin McHale following a 4-7 start to the season.
HOUSTON (KTRK) -- The Houston Rockets have fired head coach Kevin McHale, abc13 Sports has learned. JB Bickerstaff will serve as interim head coach with Chris Finch taking over as associate head coach.

The decision comes as the Rockets start the season just 4-7, putting them in 11th place overall in the Western Conference. The Rockets rank 24th in offensive efficiency and 29th in defensive efficiency this season.



The Rockets have failed to reach 100 points during their current four game losing streak. They are also averaging 20 fewer points in their losses overall this season.

Houston Rockets' James Harden (13) and head coach Kevin McHale talk during a game against the Golden State Warriors in Oakland, Calif., Jan. 21, 2015.none
Houston Rockets coach Kevin McHale reacts to a call during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs, Dec. 28, 2014.none
Houston Rockets head coach Kevin McHale, right, screams about a foul call beside referee Karl Lane in an NBA game against the Golden State Warriors, Oct. 30, 2015.none
Houston Rockets coach Kevin McHale reacts from the sideline in the Rockets' NBA game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Dec. 26, 2014.none
Houston Rockets coach Kevin McHale, second from left, talks with Jason Terry (31), James Harden (13) and Corey Brewer (33), Jan. 15, 2015.none
Houston Rockets' Kevin McHale calls to his players during Game 2 in a second-round NBA basketball playoff series against the Los Angeles Clippers, May 6, 2015.none
Houston Rockets head coach Kevin McHale argues a foul call during Game 7 of the NBA basketball Western Conference semifinals against the Los Angeles Clippers May 17, 2015.none
Houston Rockets head coach Kevin McHale reacts in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Nov. 17, 2014.none
Houston Rockets coach Kevin McHale reacts to a foul called against the Rockets during Game 2 in an NBA first-round playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks, April 21, 2015.none
Houston Rockets head coach Kevin McHale argues during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets Friday, Nov. 13, 2015, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)none
Houston Rockets head coach Kevin McHale yells to his players in the first half of a NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets, Oct. 28, 2015.none
Houston Rockets head coach Kevin McHale watches from the sideline in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Nov. 2, 2015.none
Rockets coach Kevin McHale, top, gestures as he talks with a referee during Game 1 of the NBA Western Conference finals against the Golden State Warriors, May 19, 2015.none
Houston Rockets head coach Kevin McHale yells during Game 6 in a second-round NBA playoff series against the Los Angeles Clippers in Los Angeles, May 14, 2015.none
Houston Rockets head coach Kevin McHale, right, talks to Rockets guard James Harden during the first half of a preseason NBA game against the San Antonio Spurs, Oct. 23, 2015.none
Houston Rockets head coach Kevin McHale questions a call in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks, Nov. 14, 2015.none
Houston Rockets head coach Kevin McHale calls out instructions during the second half of an NBA game against the Dallas Mavericks, Feb. 20, 2015.none
Houston Rockets head coach Kevin McHale calls out instructions to his team during a NBA game against the Sacramento Kings, Nov. 6, 2015.none
Houston Rockets coach Kevin McHale, left, talks with Ty Lawson in the first half of an NBA game against the Boston Celtics, Monday, Nov. 16, 2015.none
Houston Rockets head coach Kevin McHale directs his team against the Orlando Magic during the second half of an NBA preseason game, Oct. 22, 2014.none
Houston Rockets head coach Kevin McHale reacts after an NBA game against the Denver Nuggets.none
Houston Rockets head coach Kevin McHale gestures during Game 5 of the NBA Western Conference finals against the Golden State Warriors in Oakland, Calif., May 27, 2015.none
Houston Rockets head coach Kevin McHale stands on the sideline in an NBA game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Nov. 17, 2014.none
Houston Rockets head coach Kevin McHale speaks after Game 2 of the NBA basketball Western Conference finals against the Golden State Warriors.none
Houston Rockets coach Kevin McHale yells to his players in overtime against the Orlando Magic in an NBA basketball game in Houston. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)none
Houston Rockets head coach Kevin McHale walks off the court after an NBA basketball preseason game against the Memphis Grizzlies Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2015.none
Houston Rockets head coach Kevin McHale calls timeout during Game 3 of the NBA Western Conference finals against the Golden State Warriors, May 23, 2015.none
Houston Rockets head coach Kevin McHale watches during the first half of an NBA game against the Los Angeles Clippers, Nov. 7, 2015.none
Houston Rockets head coach Kevin McHale works the sideline against the Golden State Warriors during Game 4 of the NBA Western Conference finals, May 25, 2015.none
Rockets head coach Kevin McHale, right, watches Game 3 in an NBA first-round playoff series Friday, April 24, 2015.none
Houston Rockets coach Kevin McHale argues a call with referee Kane Fitzgerald during the Rockets' NBA game against the Charlotte Hornets, April 13, 2015.none
Houston Rockets coach Kevin McHale gestures during Game 5 of the NBA Western Conference finals against the Golden State Warriors in Oakland, Calif., May 27, 2015.none


McHale was in his fifth season with Houston and is coming off an 82-56 season where the Rockets reached the Western Conference finals for the first time since 1997. The 57-year-old Hall of Fame player went 193-130 with the Rockets and was in the first year of a three-year extension worth more than $12 million he signed in December.

Kevin McHale by the numbers


Social media was quick to react to the news, including Dallas Mavericks small forward Chandler Parsons.
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The Associated Press and ESPN contributed to this report.

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