McHale Replaces Saunders

Kevin McHale shook up the struggling Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday, firing Flip Saunders and taking over the coaching duties for the remainder of the season.

McHale, the team’s vice president of basketball operations, told Saunders earlier in the morning that he was dismissed.

“We talked this morning, and it was very, very hard,” McHale said. “We’ve known each other for a long time, but our last 32 games we’re 12-20, and just not playing at a level that’s acceptable, energy-wise. Maybe a new voice will help. I’m going to do my best to get these guys competing at a higher level.”

Saunders, who had the second-longest tenure among NBA coaches, will be reassigned within the organization, the team said.

Minnesota is 25-26, a disappointment after last season’s franchise-best 58-24. Spurred on by Kevin Garnett’s most-valuable-player season, the Timberwolves advanced to the Western Conference finals for the first time, creating optimism entering this season.

It hasn’t been as easy. Saunders has used 12 different starting lineups and bewildered his players at times with his substitution patterns, all in an effort to become successful again.

But nothing seemed to work. The Timberwolves have dropped seven of their last eight, and McHale was frustrated with their listless play.

“Our effort level is just not there, and I said, ‘Glen, it’s on me,’ and he said, ‘Do something about it,’ ” McHale said, referring to owner Glen Taylor.

So the Hall of Famer called his old college pal and teammate from the University of Minnesota and delivered the news.

In more than nine seasons, Saunders was 411-326. He was hired Dec. 18, 1995, taking over for Bill Blair, and helped turn one of the NBA’s most lackluster franchises into a legitimate contender. Last season, Saunders became the eighth person in NBA history to have coached his first 700 games with the same organization.

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Lou Hudson, one of only three Atlanta Hawk players to have their numbers retired, has suffered a stroke, team spokesman Arthur Triche said.

“We don’t know the severity of it at this time,” Triche said.

Hudson, 60, who lives in Park City, Utah, was a 1966 first-round draft pick of the St. Louis Hawks. After serving in the military, Hudson returned to the Hawks for the 1968-69 season after the team relocated to Atlanta. He was a six-time NBA All-Star. The only other Hawks to have their jerseys retired are Bob Pettit and Dominique Wilkins.