Rockets fire Van Gundy as coach

Houston Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy was fired on Friday, less than two weeks after they made yet another first-round exit from the NBA playoffs.

The Rockets went 52-30 this season but lost to the Utah Jazz in seven games, raising the possibility Van Gundy was going to resign or be dismissed. This was the Rockets' third first-round loss in four seasons under Van Gundy.

Houston Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy.Van Gundy had one nonguaranteed year left on his contract, meaning the team held the option to retain him. The team reportedly has contacted Rick Adelman, the former coach of Portland, Golden State and Sacramento.

The firing comes days after 35-year-old general manager Daryl Morey took over for the retiring Carroll Dawson following the Rockets' playoff elimination.

"I was hopeful all the way up to last night they would change their mind," Van Gundy told Houston television station KRIV.

Morey said Van Gundy was given time to "evaluate his situation" with the understanding that the Rockets would begin looking for coaching candidates. By the time Van Gundy decided he wanted to be the coach and not a consultant, "we had already become positive about one alternative candidate," Morey said at a news conference.

He wouldn't name the candidate, and wouldn't specify why Van Gundy was fired.

Van Gundy led the Rockets to a 182-146 record in four seasons. But Houston went 7-12 in three playoffs appearances and more was expected from teams anchored by All-Stars Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming.

McGrady dropped to 0-6 in playoff series with the loss to the Jazz.

"I feel bad that I wasn't able to help McGrady and Yao and the rest of the guys get over the hump ... and also that I won't be with them as they go on because I know they have a lot of success ahead of them," Van Gundy told the Houston Chronicle.

Van Gundy was working in television when the Rockets hired him before the 2003-04 season. Before that, Van Gundy coached the New York Knicks for seven seasons, leading them to the NBA finals in 1999.

He joined the Rockets as the 10th head coach in franchise history in 2003. Van Gundy's career coaching record is 430-318, but only 44-44 in the playoffs.