"McHale back, but on the other bench

There will be a different version of Kevin McHale coaching the Houston Rockets tonight at Target Center.

He doesn't have an interim tag in front of his name, and he didn't take over the job in midseason. That's one of the memories Timberwolves fans have of McHale, who twice left his front-office position as vice president of basketball operations to replace a struggling coach: Flip Saunders in 2005 and Randy Wittman in 2009.

McHale, 54, who has had a fresh start since Rockets owner Leslie Alexander signed him to a four-year contract June 1, returns to the Twin Cities with a team on a six-game winning streak. "