Associated Press
The NBA notebook …
HOUSTON ó 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.
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.
RAPTORS
TORONTO ó Jay Triano will not return as Toronto Raptors coach next season.
The Raptors announced Wednesday they will not exercise their option on Triano’s contract. He will be retained as a consultant and a special assistant to president and general manager Bryan Colangelo.
LABOR
MIAMI ó Commissioner David Stern felt there was progress. Union executive director Billy Hunter said he is “hopeful.”
So a month before a potential lockout, there was some reason for optimism about the NBA’s labor situation. Representatives of the league’s owners and players met for about four hours Wednesday.
NOTES
Miami’s victory in Game 1 was the team’s 71st overall this season, a franchise record. LeBron James has been part of a franchise-record-tying 70 of those wins. … The Heat’s Mike Miller regarding his 6-year-old son, Mavrick: “He wondered why his name was the bad team.”