The NBA is seldom short on surprises — the Timberwolves, after all, are 5-1 on the road but 0-5 at home — but I have to admit the news that the Rockets fired Kevin McHale on Wednesday just 11 games into the season caught me off guard. It’s a move that has some local intrigue as well as league-wide impact, so here are a few thoughts: 1) The move speaks to the heightened expectations in sports these days — as well as the nightmare that is the Western Conference.