Dallas Mavericks Fire Avery Johnson

[Whisper]

Just hours after the New Orleans Hornets eliminated the Dallas Mavericks from the playoffs, Mavs' owner Mark Cuban has fired head coach Avery Johnson, ESPN Radio-Dallas reports.

Johnson, the 2006 NBA Coach of the Year, was let go after the team struggled to compete with the younger and less experienced Hornets in the first round of the postseason. In the final game of the series, the Hornets led the entire way and at one point were ahead by as much as 17 points before taking the series four games to one.

After Dallas struggled to secure a playoff seed in the tough Western Conference during the regular season, rumors started circulating that Johnson could be on the hot seat.

Despite taking the Mavericks to the Finals two years ago—where they lost to the Miami Heat—Johnson has struggled in the playoffs in recent years.

Last season, the Mavericks were upset in the first round by the eighth seeded Golden State Warriors despite having the league's best regular season record and the league's Most Valuable Player in Dirk Nowitzki.

This postseason, Johnson couldn't find an answer for point guard Chris Paul who averaged a remarkable 24.8 points, 11.3 assists, and two steals throughout the series.

Even though New Orleans was the higher seed, many people thought this would be a very close series because for many of the Hornets' starters (David West, Tyson Chandler, and Paul) this would be their first time starting in a playoff series. Meanwhile, Dallas had playoff veterans Jason Kidd, Dirk Nowitzki, and Josh Howard who had a combined 224 playoff starts between them. Despite their experience, the Mavericks couldn't find a way to keep up with the Hornets and obviously, Cuban thinks it all begins with the coach.

Watching his team get knocked out of the playoffs early for two straight years must have been the last straw for Cuban, who is one of the game's most active owners.

While other teams continue fighting for a championship, Cuban will be at home looking for potential coaching candidates. It's going to be a long offseason for the Dallas Mavericks.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/20516-B...e-Avery-Johnson

 

[kdogg]

Wow, I was hoping that they would keep Avery. But I guess they feel like they can do much better than just making the playoffs though. He should be a great coach for another team soon..

 

[MapleLeaf]

=) =) =) =) =)

THANKS

But I'm also kinda sad. I used to think he was really really good. He was....... in the regular season

 

[bulls12]

Anyone else see this coming?

 

[Pugz]

Seen this coming, and I also heard that D'Toni is gone too. All I know is when Flip gets fird from the Pistons and if Michael Curry don't step in as head coach then we better get a upgrade at head coach by getting D'Toni or Johnson.

 

[JoshHoward5]

I use to love Cuban, but he is <Censored>ing up now. The stupid trade for a washed up point guard, and now he lets go of our amazing coach, when there is no one else at there. These next couple of years are going to be hell.

 

[DJT]

Hmmm D'Toni perhaps??? I think it would fit.

 

[.s31t]

Did anyone see how bad Dirk was. He looked like a Turnover waiting to happen and he only averaged 20 points a game... Thats a soft ammount of points in 40 minutes and he played with no killer instinct. Get rid of him.

 

[.s31t]

Hmmm D'Toni perhaps??? I think it would fit.

IDTS... He's going to NYK or TOR. I believe you will get Marc Jackson, Patrick Ewing... Someone like that.

 

[MapleLeaf]

Did anyone see how bad Dirk was. He looked like a Turnover waiting to happen and he only averaged 20 points a game... Thats a soft ammount of points in 40 minutes and he played with no killer instinct. Get rid of him.

Um.. Dirk was the only player who actually showed up. Averaged 26.8 PPG, 12.0 RPG, 4.0 APG.

He was the least of our concerns. He was amazing, it was our <Censored>ty coaching and our 90 year old role players

 

[X-Factor]

AVERY!!!!!!!! PLEASE!!!!! COME!!!!!!! TO!!!!!!!! NJ!!!!!!!!!!

Maple, rmemeber wut we said on aim, Nets take Avery, yall will take Lawrence frank........

 

[MapleLeaf]

I use to love Cuban, but he is <Censored>ing up now. The stupid trade for a washed up point guard, and now he lets go of our amazing coach, when there is no one else at there. These next couple of years are going to be hell.

Had to. He's a GREAT coach.....in the regular season.

The team he took to the Finals was a Don Nelson based team. Over the past couple of years, Avery has gotten the players he likes in his system. And he has helped make players like Dirk a slower player and weaker. He made him slow so he could be like Duncan. Avery was a control freak. Anytime there was a 6-0 run he called a timeout. And sadly...... a lot of the times over the playoff series he hasn't made any successful changes.

Had to be done, need not a house cleaning but need to get a younger and more reliable bunch. Not 40 year olds who score 20 one night, then miss 20 games and then struggle.

And I also think JH5 might be the first to go. I mean he just showed no heart in the series IMO. He shot like 30% from the field. Plus I think it would benefit him to go to a new home. And I think we can get some good prize in return. Because the league is becoming more and more of a versitle league and Josh Howard is one of the most versitle players in the league.... but he just didn't look like he wanted it or cared in the series.

 

[MapleLeaf]

AVERY!!!!!!!! PLEASE!!!!! COME!!!!!!! TO!!!!!!!! NJ!!!!!!!!!!

Maple, rmemeber wut we said on aim, Nets take Avery, yall will take Lawrence frank........

You can have Avery, he'll be a control freak and call offensive plays that make your offense look slow and end up taking bad shots.

I don't want Frank though

 

[X-Factor]

You can have Avery, he'll be a control freak and call offensive plays that make your offense look slow and end up taking bad shots.

I don't want Frank though

Well in that case, why did you guys even get Avery in the first place........?

194 - 70 is Avery's record........ He did his part the past years for this team, wut more do u want..........?

 

[MapleLeaf]

that's fine and dandy.

He was 23-24 in the playoffs.....for a team that went 194-70 in the regular season...... we should be doing LOADS better then a losing record. And not discounting that he has turned us into the laughing stock of the NBA the past couple of years. Whether it was choking a 2-0 finals lead, or having a 67 win season and losing in the first round.

We have lost our last 9 playoff games on the road. 3-12 in our last 15 games.

Avery doesn't know how to have an offense.

 

[X-Factor]

that's fine and dandy.

He was 23-24 in the playoffs.....for a team that went 194-70 in the regular season...... we should be doing LOADS better then a losing record. And not discounting that he has turned us into the laughing stock of the NBA the past couple of years. Whether it was choking a 2-0 finals lead, or having a 67 win season and losing in the first round.

We have lost our last 9 playoff games on the road. 3-12 in our last 15 games.

Avery doesn't know how to have an offense.

ok, is avery the one holding the ball going in the lane, trying to make a 3 pointer, or layup? no.......the players have NOT done there part, so i say <Censored> THAT.... Avery would have done better then what the Mavs produced these past playoffs if he was still playing.

 

[MapleLeaf]

LOL you obviously haven't watched us. Avery is a control freak. He was the one who called our plays, he wasn't like any of the other good coaches who let there players go out and play. Avery controlled everything. He was the one who changed us from an up-tempo young team to an old halfcourt jump-shooting team taking tough shots. And the thing was, AVERY DID NOT KNOW HOW TO MAKE CHANGES. last year against the Warriors...... HE DID NOTHING. He played smallball, he fell for Nelson's trap, this year, he couldn't make a scheme to even remotely stop Paul at all. And 2 years ago when Wade took over, Avery did nothing to change it.

Avery has no idea how to make changes in big games.

 

[DJT]

Avery to Phoenix or Chicago perhaps???

 

[X-Factor]

LOL you obviously haven't watched us. Avery is a control freak. He was the one who called our plays, he wasn't like any of the other good coaches who let there players go out and play. Avery controlled everything. He was the one who changed us from an up-tempo young team to an old halfcourt jump-shooting team taking tough shots. And the thing was, AVERY DID NOT KNOW HOW TO MAKE CHANGES. last year against the Warriors...... HE DID NOTHING. He played smallball, he fell for Nelson's trap, this year, he couldn't make a scheme to even remotely stop Paul at all. And 2 years ago when Wade took over, Avery did nothing to change it.

Avery has no idea how to make changes in big games.

I'm not gonna even bother read the whole thing, as soon as you said Avery controlled everything, i stopped. Of course he controlled everything, because of them, there lucky they even one a game in the series.................

 

[MapleLeaf]

LOL, him in Phoenix would be a wreck. A WRECK. Complete opposite of D'Antoni. D'Antoni to Dallas is even a better fit then that lol