Notebook: McHale keeps it simple in return to Timberwolves sideline

Kevin McHale is trying to open up the offense in his latest stint as Wolves coach. AP Chris Mannix's Mailbag Submit a comment or question for Chris. Name: Email: Hometown: Question: SEND Follow Chris Mannix on Twitter

To watch Kevin McHale move is to feel his pain. Watch the Timberwolves' coach hobble up and down the sideline, a particular form of movement forced upon him by arthritic ankles. Watch him conduct his pre- and postgame media interviews from a chair because he can't stand up for 10 consecutive minutes. Watch him coach a struggling team, which has lost five in a row since he took over for the deposed Randy Wittman.

OK, maybe we don't feel so bad for him about that last one.

McHale hates travel. He doesn't like late nights or the beating it puts on his body. And he's not, at least according to Nuggets guard Anthony Carter, who played for McHale in 2005, "a very good X's and O's coach."

"I do not think he wanted this job," Timberwolves forward Mark Madsen said.

But the Timberwolves are, unequivocally, McHale's mess: He drafted, acquired and signed each player on the roster, which is why owner Glen Taylor, after back-to-back blowout losses to the Nets and Clippers earlier this month, ended McHale's near 14-year run as team vice president and shipped him down to the sideline.

"If I didn't want to coach this team, I wouldn't have," insisted McHale, who coached Minnesota to a 19-12 finish after he fired Flip Saunders in 2005. "We have to get our guys back battling. It's the same in every sport: Effort and execution will get results. Our effort has been lagging."

McHale's first order of business has been to simplify the playbook. Wittman was a hands-on coach who liked to control the game. Not McHale. He has asked his players to pick up the tempo and, when they can't run, try to identify mismatches and exploit them every time down the floor. He said Al Jefferson attracts defenders "like bees to honey" and would like to see more of the half-court offense flow through him.

"I feel as though he saw a lot of guys who he drafted or acquired, the way he pictured us being used, we weren't being used that way," guard Rashad McCants said.

Said McHale: "You want to avoid the other team's top two defenders and go at their worst. Red Auerbach taught me that."

With McHale on the bench, the responsibility of rebuilding the team falls to general manager Jim Stack and assistant GM Fred Hoiberg. The latter will focus on the draft -- the Timberwolves could have as many as four first-round picks in 2009 -- while Stack will be the point man on trade calls.

Hoiberg said that even though McHale is no longer calling the shots, the team will still consult with him on potential deals.

"We consulted with Randy, too," Hoiberg said. "Kevin was in the front office for 14 years. We value his opinion."

Hoiberg said there is no plan in place for McHale to return to the front office after the season.

"I think he is committed to coaching," Hoiberg said. "Kevin has the unique ability to get in your mind and see what makes you tick. His biggest strength is that he can make you feel 10 feet tall. Hopefully he can get this thing moving and coach this team for a long time."

Flip the Philly front-runner?

A source close to the 76ers told SI.com that former Pistons coach Flip Saunders is Philadelphia's first choice as a long-term replacement for Maurice Cheeks. Eddie Jordan, who worked with Sixers general manager Ed Stefanski in New Jersey, is also a candidate. But the source said, "It's Flip's job to lose."

Assistant Tony DiLeo was promoted to head coach after the 76ers fired Cheeks last Saturday. Stefanski said he would evaluate the coaching situation after the season.

Williams fits right in with Cavs

The Cavaliers' offseason acquisition of Mo Williams from Milwaukee was considered a significant risk. Williams not only was owed $43 million over the next five seasons, but he also had a well-earned reputation for being a below-average defender and too ball-controlling as a point guard.

But Williams has emerged as one of Cleveland's most consistent all-around players this season, joining with Delonte West and Daniel Gibson to give the Cavs a formidable three-guard rotation. While Williams is averaging 16.0 points and 4.3 assists in 32.5 minutes, it's his defense that has been most impressive.

"Mo used to be a guy who only got up for the Gilbert Arenas types," one of Williams former coaches said. "Now he's playing with the same intensity every night."

"It's different here," Williams said in a telephone interview. "There wasn't much attention [paid] to detail on defense in Milwaukee. You can see the difference in the schemes we run. We don't let the other team get where they want to go and we force them into quick, bad shots."

Williams admitted that it's hard to not keep one eye on Boston, with both teams appearing to be on a collision course for the Eastern Conference finals.

"We're just getting geared up for it," Williams said. "We're a good team now, but by then we will be playing exceptionally well."