Underrated Postseason Performance - 1986 Kevin McHale

[1987_Lakers]

1986 is the year people look at and say Bird turned into God mode, but his sidekick McHale was pretty damn good as well.

First Round vs Chicago (3 games)
28 PPG | 10 RPG | 4 APG | 3 BPG | 65 FG%

ECSF vs Atlanta (5 games)
24.5 PPG | 8 RPG | 3 APG | 1.2 BPG | 55 FG%
- Shut down Dominique Wilkins on defense

ECF vs Milwaukee (4 games)
21.5 PPG | 9 RPG | 2.5 APG | 3.3 BPG | 57 FG%

Finals vs Houston (6 games)
26 PPG | 8.5 RPG | 2 APG | 2.5 BPG | 57 FG%
- Outscored everyone in the Finals

Overall postseason numbers...
18 games - 25 PPG | 8.5 RPG | 2.7 APG | 2.4 BPG | 58 FG%

Has there ever been a better performance (besides Kobe) by a second option in the postseason?

[Knicksfever2010]

ok

[StateOfMind12]

I can absolutely guarantee that someone will bitch about McHale's mediocre rebounding numbers and not take those numbers into context.

Before you dummies who take every stat for face value do, keep in mind that Mchale would often times guard the SF which would push him further away from the basket. As the OP addressed, McHale was the one guarding Dominique and shut him down.

It was why Bird's rebounding numbers were so high too because he played closer to the basket because he would often times defend the PF. Bird usually guarded the weaker forward/offensive player but it's not like he was just taking a break on that end like what Kobe has been doing for the past 3-4 years. He was a terrific help defender and it was better for the Celtics overall that they had Mchale man up on the opposing team's best offensive forward and have Bird guard the weaker one so they can both utilize their best strength defensively.

Mchale's best strength defensively was post-defense, man-defense, Bird's best strength defensively was help-defense. It was a perfect strategy.

[DKLaker]

I can absolutely guarantee that someone will bitch about McHale's mediocre rebounding numbers and not take those numbers into context.

Before you dummies who take every stat for face value do, keep in mind that Mchale would often times guard the SF which would push him further away from the basket. As the OP addressed, McHale was the one guarding Dominique and shut him down.

It was why Bird's rebounding numbers were so high too because he played closer to the basket because he would often times defend the PF. Bird usually guarded the weaker forward/offensive player but it's not like he was just taking a break on that end like what Kobe has been doing for the past 3-4 years. He was a terrific help defender and it was better for the Celtics overall that they had Mchale man up on the opposing team's best offensive forward and have Bird guard the weaker one so they can both utilize their best strength defensively.

Mchale's best strength defensively was post-defense, man-defense, Bird's best strength defensively was help-defense. It was a perfect strategy.

[Da_Realist]

He was beasting in the 85 Finals too, iirc. They lost, but still...

[ShaqAttack3234]

1986 is the year people look at and say Bird turned into God mode, but his sidekick McHale was pretty damn good as well.

First Round vs Chicago (3 games)
28 PPG | 10 RPG | 4 APG | 3 BPG | 65 FG%

ECSF vs Atlanta (5 games)
24.5 PPG | 8 RPG | 3 APG | 1.2 BPG | 55 FG%
- Shut down Dominique Wilkins on defense

ECF vs Milwaukee (4 games)
21.5 PPG | 9 RPG | 2.5 APG | 3.3 BPG | 57 FG%

Finals vs Houston (6 games)
26 PPG | 8.5 RPG | 2 APG | 2.5 BPG | 57 FG%
- Outscored everyone in the Finals

Overall postseason numbers...
18 games - 25 PPG | 8.5 RPG | 2.7 APG | 2.4 BPG | 58 FG%

Has there ever been a better performance (besides Kobe) by a second option in the postseason?

Glad you mentioned him shutting down Nique. As Tom Heinsohn mentioned during the series, McHale was the perfect defender to guard Nique. Nique took a lot of wild shots in that series. On the other end, I have to mention how good Bird was that series, he humiliated Nique with some of his moves.

But back to McHale, I've often said that's possibly the best run by a second option outside of 2001 Kobe. He was pretty unstoppable throughout the playoffs, very consistent. I'd probably rank him as one of the 5 best post scorers of all time, his defense has been mentioned and I've seen '86 games where commentators mentioned his improved passing that year. I have seen him make some nice passes, and his reputation as a black hole is overstated. Aside from Bird, and how great of a passing team the '86 Celtics were, one of the reasons I love watching them is to see McHale go to work in the post. Whether it's the up and under or his turnaround jumper with such great touch.

I'd say that McHale was a top 5 player overall in both 1986 and 1987.

I can absolutely guarantee that someone will bitch about McHale's mediocre rebounding numbers and not take those numbers into context.

Before you dummies who take every stat for face value do, keep in mind that Mchale would often times guard the SF which would push him further away from the basket. As the OP addressed, McHale was the one guarding Dominique and shut him down.

It was why Bird's rebounding numbers were so high too because he played closer to the basket because he would often times defend the PF. Bird usually guarded the weaker forward/offensive player but it's not like he was just taking a break on that end like what Kobe has been doing for the past 3-4 years. He was a terrific help defender and it was better for the Celtics overall that they had Mchale man up on the opposing team's best offensive forward and have Bird guard the weaker one so they can both utilize their best strength defensively.

Mchale's best strength defensively was post-defense, man-defense, Bird's best strength defensively was help-defense. It was a perfect strategy.

Good post, I agree with everything. There aren't many rebounds available when you have Parish, McHale, Walton off the bench and arguably the greatest rebounding small forward Bird(though as you mentioned he was effectively a power forward a lot of times defensively). Actually, Bird's position comes into play more with offensive rebounds. He was often taking a shot, especially from the perimeter, so he wasn't in position that much, but he had phenomenal technique and timing for offensive rebounds that doesn't show in his numbers.

He was beasting in the 85 Finals too, iirc. They lost, but still...

Yeah, in the games, the commentators mention that McHale would probably be the finals MVP if the Celtics won. This was largely due to Bird dealing with several injuries, but McHale was still playing extremely well.

[1987_Lakers]

He was beasting in the 85 Finals too, iirc. They lost, but still...

Lakers never had an answer for McHale just like the Celtics never had an answer for Worthy.

[Round Mound]

McHale The Post Move Arquitect

[1987_Lakers]

Glad you mentioned him shutting down Nique. As Tom Heinsohn mentioned during the series, McHale was the perfect defender to guard Nique. Nique took a lot of wild shots in that series. On the other end, I have to mention how good Bird was that series, he humiliated Nique with some of his moves.

But back to McHale, I've often said that's possibly the best run by a second option outside of 2001 Kobe. He was pretty unstoppable throughout the playoffs, very consistent. I'd probably rank him as one of the 5 best post scorers of all time, his defense has been mentioned and I've seen '86 games where commentators mentioned his improved passing that year. I have seen him make some nice passes, and his reputation as a black hole is overstated. Aside from Bird, and how great of a passing team the '86 Celtics were, one of the reasons I love watching them is to see McHale go to work in the post. Whether it's the up and under or his turnaround jumper with such great touch.

McHale has always been an underrated rebounder & as you said people overdue him being a black hole. You could call him a black hole from '81-'85, but not during that '86 season, from what I've seen of him during that '86 season he was a capable passer, he knew how to pass out of double teams and he made nice passes every know and then.

McHale was also a decent rebounder. Averaged 9 rpg in '85 (out-rebounded everyone in that '85 Finals), he fell to 8 rpg in '86, but that had alot to do with the addition of Bill Walton, he averaged 10 rpg the next season in '87. If McHale is your 4th best rebounder on the team (as he was in '86), you are in great shape.

[Shep]

gasol in 2010
robinson in 1999
pippen in 1998, 1996, 1992, and ofcourse 1991

and this was only from 1986 onwards

[JohnnySic]

McHale's rebound numbers were "low" because Parish and Bird were also gobbling up rebounds.

[1987_Lakers]

gasol in 2010
robinson in 1999
pippen in 1998, 1996, 1992, and ofcourse 1991

and this was only from 1986 onwards

McHale > all of them

[ShaqAttack3234]

gasol in 2010

First, I have to ask if you mean full seasons by a second option or just playoff runs?

I'm definitely not taking 2010 Gasol as a player or playoff run.

McHale didn't have a series nearly as weak as Gasol's series vs Phoenix and in generally he was pretty consistently more dominant round by round with a possible exception of their second rounds. McHale was great in every series except the ECF and he was still good. Gasol's only great series was the WCSF. He had a standout series vs OKC and it was the one series I'd say he was the Lakers MVP in.

As players, McHale had considerable advantages as a scorer and defender while Gasol was a better passer and rebounder.

I guess part of it comes down to personal preference, but it's not that difficult. McHale was at least a top 5 player, Gasol was a top 10 player.

robinson in 1999

His defense was still great, but as an overall player, he was still a step down from McHale.

pippen in 1998, 1996, 1992, and ofcourse 1991

Pippen never had a playoff run as good as McHale's in '86. If you're talking about as a player, well Pippen's '96 season as a 2nd option is up there and debatable. '92 and '97 wouldn't be far behind as well.

The only way '91 enters the discussion is if we're just talking about playoff runs.

[Snoop_Cat]

An absolute monster in the post. On BOTH ends.

A lot of people know that he had a great post repertoire but I think his amazing post defense gets overlooked a ton - sadly, quite possibly because people assume he's some sickly looking white dude.

[DirtySanchez]

But he rode birds coattails!