Avery Johnson
Avery Johnson
Avery Johnsonis an American basketball coach who is currently the head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide men's basketball team. Johnson spent 16 years in the National Basketball Association as a player, and subsequently served as the head coach of two NBA teams: the Dallas Mavericks and New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets. He led the Mavericks to their first NBA Finals appearance and to three consecutive 50+ win seasons. During his playing days, Johnson was known as the "Little General" for his...
ProfessionBasketball Player
Date of Birth25 March 1969
CityNew Orleans, LA
I wasn't trying to rally the team by getting ejected. I think it was more just a difference of opinion. We were dealing with things the whole game, and we thought that we had a legitimate beef with the way they were playing Dirk. I guess we were wrong.
We played a very small stretch of decent basketball out of a 48-minute game. We've been defending the 3-pointer pretty well this year, but it didn't happen tonight. We pretty much know where we're going to finish now (the No. 4 seed).
We have big goals, but it's no small feat. I don't think anyone before the season thought we were a 60-win team.
In 1992, when I was out of the league waiting for a job, my dad passed away and my wife was pregnant. People will tell you, 'Oh, I never doubted for a moment.' Well, I beg to differ. I'm a man of faith, but there's a human side of you that wants to doubt.
I'm their motivation. We don't need outside opinion or perceptions to be motivation. I know how we need to play to get to the next level.
I'm not sure Nellie could tell me anything I don't already know about Pop's camps.
He's out for an extended period of time. We've lost an important part of our rotation.
He's our guy who penetrates and gets to the basket. We definitely don't want any hesitancy there. The goal is to get him as healthy as we can for the playoffs.
He's proven he can go two weeks and jump out there and do something, but as we get closer toward the end of the season, I'd like to try to plug him in here and there. You can't expect him to always get out there and be Superman.
I'm sure that we're going to see everybody against Dirk, like we have the other four games.
I'm very disappointed. I've spoken to the league, and I can't get into details on what was said. I can't even find the words. I've appealed to the league about their judgment. I've seen a whole lot worse.
He's not underrated in our book. He does a lot for us. And when you do things on a more consistent basis, you tend to catch people's attention.
He's made some improvement, but we don't know how bad it is yet. We just know he's out (Sunday).
You think a streak is never going to come to an end. When it does, it doesn't feel good.