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May 1, 2008 11:56 am US/Central
Avery Johnson Knows It's 'Time To Move On'
Former Mavs Coach Calls Dismissal Part Of Coaching
DALLAS (CBS 11 News) ―
Offering only positive words about his first head coaching experience, Avery Johnson said he understands his Wednesday dismissal as head coach of the Dallas Mavericks, but expressed his disappointment in the last half of the season and the team's performance in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.
"A coach is paid to win games (and) get players to play well," Johnson said less than 24 hours after he was fired from the organization.
During a news conference, Johnson said he appreciated being given the chance to lead one of the best teams in the league in one of the largest metro areas.
"We can all look at ourselves in the mirror and be proud," he said of those involved with the team during the past three and a half years he served as coach.
"We had a tremendous amount of success," he added about leading the Mavs to the 2006 NBA Finals, but falling short the past two seasons.
"I know it wasn't an easy deal for Donnie to come meet with me yesterday," he said of Mavs President of Basketball Operations/General Manager Donnie Nelson.
"It was a miracle we made it to the playoffs this year," he said with his trademark grin.
In a statement released Wednesday afternoon, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said: "It is never easy to relieve a coach of his duties, especially one of Avery's caliber. He is a talented coach and I want to thank him for his efforts over the last four years and what he has done for this franchise. We wish him well in the future."
Johnson said realized "It had to be done. (This year) we just didn't have what it takes."
In regards to how the season ended, Johnson said things were not the same after the Devin Harris-Jason Kidd trade.
"I don't want to bring names into it," he urged, but the results say it all.
Dallas was 16-13 after Kidd arrived and were 35-18 before giving up young point guard Harris and a package of players and picks for the veteran superstar.
"We never really got back on track," the former coach admitted.
Johnson said he had worked on developing Harris into a stronger player before an injury sidelined the player and the subsequent trade.
Last year, Johnson led the Mavericks to a 67-win season, the best in team history and a team he said over achieved. They couldn't overcome former mentor and ex-Mavs head coach Don Nelson's eighth-seeded Golden State Warriors.
That season, as in this, the Mavs lost in the first round of the playoffs.
In 2005-2006, his first full year as head coach, Johnson was named NBA coach of the year and led the team to the NBA finals. The Mavericks won the first two games of the finals against Miami, but then collapsed to lose the next four and the series.
During Thursday's briefing, he said that award was not just for him. It was a reflection on the entire coaching staff, the players, team front office staff and the City of Dallas.
He also said he was proud to have coached All-Star Dirk Nowitzki during the year he was named the league's MVP.
"He's the hardest working player that I've ever been around in the past 20 years," Johnson said of the 7-foot forward. "But I was always concerned about fatigue."
Looking forward, Johnson said he had received several phone calls from other league coaches – including Don Nelson and Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs. He chuckled when he added that some coaches who never spoke to him before also called when they heard the news.
Although he didn't announce any plans, Johnson said he feels "I am going to be a better coach" and will take the blueprints he learned about basketball organizations "from top to bottom" to his next job.
"This is a part of coaching," he said and added well wishes for the next Mavericks coach.
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