Fansided

J.B.Bickerstaff to coach Rockets for remainder of 15-16

By Joseph Calabrese

Dec 17, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Houston Rockets assistant coach J.B. Bickerstaff during the game against the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center. The Rockets won 115-111 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 17, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Houston Rockets assistant coach J.B. Bickerstaff during the game against the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center. The Rockets won 115-111 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Houston Rockets revealed a bombshell today when they fired head coach Kevin McHale less than six months after leading the Rockets on a trip to the Western Conference Finals.

The organization announced that assistant J.B. Bickerstaff, son of former NBA head coach Bernie Bickerstaff, will ct as the team’s interim head coach through this season:

Houston is off to a sluggish 4-7 start, and hasn’t looked like anything resembling the floor-spacing, offensive juggernaut that won 56 games last season. Instead, there has been speculation that James Harden, like McHale, has frustrated the Rockets’ locker room. Although talented, there are square pegs in round holes in Houston.

Bickerstaff joined the Rockets in 2011, and spent 11 years as an assistant coach before being promoted. His first stint was an assistant for his father in Charlotte from 2004-07, and his second with the Minnesota Timberwolves from 2007-11. Interestingly enough, he got into coaching much later than his father did:

"Around basketball his whole life, Bickerstaff provided color analysis on radio broadcasts in 2003-04 for the Timberwolves when the team won the Midwest Division and advanced to the Western Conference Finals. Prior to that, he served as the director of operations for the University of Minnesota men’s basketball program where he oversaw all administrative areas of the program and assisted the coaching staff with recruiting, scouting and coaching."

The Rockets have many options available to them should they choose to replace Bickerstaff in season or next. We’ve suggested that Houston hire Tom Thibodeau to help fix its defensive struggles — struggles that will prevent Houston from competing with the Western Conferences elites like Golden State, San Antonio, Oklahoma City and Los Angeles Clippers. Other options include: Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson, Scott Brooks and, possibly, George Karl (if Sacramento fires him, of course).

Bickerstaff’s first game as head coach is tonight against the Portland Trail-Blazers at the Toyota Center.

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