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 thought Damp (Erick Dampier) really shut down a lot of their penetrations in the fourth quarter. He got a couple of blocks, rebounds and I thought he was the reason we won the game.
We pretty much know where we're going to finish now. The only thing that really matters for us is to get guys healthy mentally and physically.
I think we're just going to see how it goes. It all depends who we play.
I went out on a limb for it. I stand behind it. I've done pretty much all that I can do.
It's nothing about me. If we're fortunate enough to be a part of that situation, it just shows that the guys that play for the Mavericks won some games and we're in the heat of the race. It's no goal of ours. It's a nice honor if something like that were to happen.
For Josh, it'll be a test for him coming back for the first game, especially against a really good defensive team.
It's those guys reading each other, Damp getting in the right spot and our guards making passes and getting him the ball. Spacing is a key. You can't get anybody the ball if three people are standing next to him.
It's the way we play. More than assists, we want to make sure our players move. We're really a different team.
It's been a pretty fierce competition at center. If today was the first regular-season game, he would be my first center off the bench.
It's a natural, because we still have to play some of those teams in the regular season. So we're pulling double duty.
It was nice to get the big lead and to spread out the minutes a little bit. But we are a flawed basketball team and we are still working through some things. We have to keep working hard and trying to get better.
It was not a flawless game ... but I thought we were a little bit more aggressive and our aggression paid off.
I'm glad to get this series over. Obviously, we would have had four swings at it. I'm glad to get it on the first swing. Now it's time for us to try to get some rest and get some bodies healed and get back to practice, because that's my favorite part of this whole deal.
I'm going to think that I won't have him, then hopefully we will.