# UPDATE: Avery fired



## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

Posted this in NBA General as well...



> 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.
> 
> ...


http://bleacherreport.com/articles/20516-Breaking-News-Dallas-Mavericks-Fire-Avery-Johnson

I'm not sure how reliable this is, so take it for what it's worth.


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

*Re: Breaking News: Avery Johnson Fired?!*

It's only a matter of time, but I wouldn't blame Cuban if he gave him the axe right after the game.


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

*Re: Breaking News: Avery Johnson Fired?!*

Early.


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## LionOfJudah (May 27, 2003)

*Re: Breaking News: Avery Johnson Fired?!*

You can't coach athletic ability so I don't see why Avery is at fault here. 

Now not playing Brandon Bass enough is one thing but our short comings are more from being an older team while the trend in the league is building upon this next generation of players.


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## VeN (May 10, 2005)

*Re: Breaking News: Avery Johnson Fired?!*



stevemc said:


> You can't coach athletic ability so I don't see why Avery is at fault here.
> 
> Now not playing Brandon Bass enough is one thing but our short comings are more from being an older team while the trend in the league is building upon this next generation of players.


to me, it spoke volumes when he said after the game that he isnt effected by it and he has been there before. in my head that translates as, its just a job and i really dont care either way. it doesnt effect you when you work hard for 3 years and dont accomplish your goals? doesnt effect you to get eliminated and embarassed in the first round 2 years in a row? 

that and the fact that he didnt even do a practice or somethin before game 5.. but the team did? tells me the team and coach arent in sync and are in a diff mindset altogether. the mavs (and fans) have lost confidence in AJ and its time to let him go.


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## LionOfJudah (May 27, 2003)

*Re: Breaking News: Avery Johnson Fired?!*



VeN said:


> to me, it spoke volumes when he said after the game that he isnt effected by it and he has been there before. in my head that translates as, its just a job and i really dont care either way. it doesnt effect you when you work hard for 3 years and dont accomplish your goals? doesnt effect you to get eliminated and embarassed in the first round 2 years in a row?
> 
> that and the fact that he didnt even do a practice or somethin before game 5.. but the team did? tells me the team and coach arent in sync and are in a diff mindset altogether. the mavs (and fans) have lost confidence in AJ and its time to let him go.


It seems him and Cuban are pretty much done with each other judging by various reports that they disagree on just about everything. Seems to happen often with hands on owners and their coaches.

Either way, I hope they find a replacement before the draft so whoever it is gets to pick some of the ingredients to the meal he'll be cooking next year..


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

*Re: Breaking News: Avery Johnson Fired?!*



stevemc said:


> Seems to happen often with hands on owners and their coaches...


Jerry & Jimmy, sittin' in the tree...:whistling:


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## VeN (May 10, 2005)

*Re: Breaking News: Avery Johnson Fired?!*

cept jimmy actually got it done


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## LionOfJudah (May 27, 2003)

*Re: Breaking News: Avery Johnson Fired?!*



VeN said:


> cept jimmy actually got it done


ZIIING!


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

*Re: Breaking News: Avery Johnson Fired?!*



VeN said:


> cept jimmy actually got it done


You'd think Cuban could load up the roster like they did; neither had/has a hard salary cap.


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## Ninjatune (May 1, 2006)

*Re: Breaking News: Avery Johnson Fired?!*

Axe Him.


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

*Re: Breaking News: Avery Johnson Fired?!*

Jimmy is my hero...


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

*Re: Breaking News: Avery Johnson Fired?!*

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3375306

ESPN reporting that it is official.


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## Ruff Draft (Nov 21, 2004)

*Re: Update: Avery fired!*

Dallas fans, what flaws does Avery have as a coach?


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

*Re: Update: Avery fired!*

<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/V7tVzG1FfSM&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/V7tVzG1FfSM&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>

Couldn't resist ...


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## LionOfJudah (May 27, 2003)

*Re: Update: Avery fired!*



Ruff Draft said:


> Dallas fans, what flaws does Avery have as a coach?


He can't make old players faster... or big stiffs actually bend their knees...


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

*Re: Update: Avery fired!*



Ruff Draft said:


> Dallas fans, what flaws does Avery have as a coach?


Turn the volume all the way up on your TV, stereo, etc. and see how long it takes you to turn it down/off.

Millionares won't listen for long to a screamer.

Other than that, he could not install a reliable half court offense/defense - that may have been personel, but there was too much talent to waste it, imo.


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

*Re: Update: Avery fired!*



stevemc said:


> He can't make old players faster... or big stiffs actually bend their knees...


He wanted all of those great veterans.


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## VeN (May 10, 2005)

Lmaaaaaaaao!!


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

First statements:



> “It is never easy to relieve a coach of his duties, especially one of Avery’s caliber,” owner Mark Cuban said. “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.”





> “I would like to thank Avery for his valuable contributions to the Mavericks organization,” president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson said. “Over the past four years, he has been an integral part of our team’s success. We wish AJ nothing but the very best in his future endeavors.”


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## LionOfJudah (May 27, 2003)

*Re: Update: Avery fired!*



croco said:


> He wanted all of those great veterans.


Well he remembered them as being a whole lot faster when he was playing...


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

*Re: Update: Avery fired!*



stevemc said:


> Well he remembered them as being a whole lot faster when he was playing...


Lol, that's probably true.


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

Now that AJ is gone, Donnie Nelson is next!

Anybody want to start a Fire Donnie thread so I can change my sig? :biggrin:


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## Ninjatune (May 1, 2006)

This made my day.


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

Ninjatune said:


> This made my day.


It's good to know that you didn't pull the trigger last night!


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

edwardcyh said:


> Now that AJ is gone, Donnie Nelson is next!
> 
> Anybody want to start a Fire Donnie thread so I can change my sig? :biggrin:


Make one yourself, old man.


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

croco said:


> Make one yourself, old man.


Don't want to make a thread and then have a moderator-who-will-not-be-named delete it or edit it.


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

edwardcyh said:


> Don't want to make a thread and then have a moderator-who-will-not-be-named delete it or edit it.


Avery is gone, no more excuses. :rules:


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## Dre (Jun 20, 2003)

*Re: Update: Avery fired!*



Ruff Draft said:


> Dallas fans, what flaws does Avery have as a coach?


His major fault is that he doesn't make adjustments. This is as far as inseason and ingame adjustments go. He did little to bridge the gap between what the Mavs and Kidd did offensively, so Kidd has been uncomfortable for most of his time as a Maverick. 

On the other side of the ball, he doesn't know how to flip the script defensively and make adjustments when something he's doing is being exploited.

He's solid for what he preaches, but he'll never be great because he's stuck in his ways, and that iso-driven style will never consistently win, and postseason basketball is all about adjusting and exploiting your matchups. 

Before he gets his next job he'll have to know his status as a coach doesn't put his system above great players. He'll have to broaden his playbook.


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## Ninjatune (May 1, 2006)

edwardcyh said:


> It's good to know that you didn't pull the trigger last night!


Nah, actually stopped watching at halftime and turned my attention to a Dallas franchise that is taking care of business in the playoffs..... The Stars.


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## Jet (Jul 1, 2005)

croco said:


> Avery is gone, no more excuses. :rules:


Well, if Juwan is here next year... I think that's a legit excuse.


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

Jet said:


> Well, if Juwan is here next year... I think that's a legit excuse.


Ugh.


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

Avery takes the high road so he would never say it publicly, but you know he's going to look back at this and wish he didn't screw it up.


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

xray said:


> Avery takes the high road so he would never say it publicly, but you know he's going to look back at this and wish he didn't screw it up.


Avery doesn't make faults, it's the others who didn't execute properly.


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

croco said:


> Avery doesn't make faults, it's the others who didn't execute properly.


I have to disagree with you on this one – he’ll be sitting in Chicago or New York and looking out on the court, and thinking “The team we had…if only…” :sadbanana:

Which brings me to my own pondering, there’s three places this franchise has been that gives me that same feeling – ’88 (Aguirre, Blackman, Tarpley, etc.) ’94 (Three Js) and now this… :boohoo2:


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

No matter where he goes he will have less talent around him, I'm already curious if he still thinks then that his system is perfect.


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

xray said:


> I have to disagree with you on this one – he’ll be sitting in Chicago or New York and looking out on the court, and thinking “The team we had…if only…” :sadbanana:
> 
> Which brings me to my own pondering, there’s three places this franchise has been that gives me that same feeling – ’88 (Aguirre, Blackman, Tarpley, etc.) ’94 (Three Js) and now this… :boohoo2:


You :boohoo2: a lot for an old guy....


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

edwardcyh said:


> You :boohoo2: a lot for an old guy....


The women love it... :angel:


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## LionOfJudah (May 27, 2003)

croco said:


> No matter where he goes he will have less talent around him, I'm already curious if he still thinks then that his system is perfect.


Correction... No matter where he goes he will have less flashback 90s talent around him.


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

stevemc said:


> Correction... No matter where he goes he will have less flashback 90s talent around him.


If he goes to Chicago he would immediately want to trade Ben Gordon for Larry Hughes ... oh wait, they already have Larry Hughes.


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## LionOfJudah (May 27, 2003)

croco said:


> If he goes to Chicago he would immediately want to trade Ben Gordon for Larry Hughes ... oh wait, they already have Larry Hughes.


He'd want to trade everyone but "Not so big anymore" Ben Wallace. Lou Deng for Stack and Eddie Jones could even be a possibility with Avery running the Bulls.


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

Ben Wallace is already gone.


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## LionOfJudah (May 27, 2003)

croco said:


> Ben Wallace is already gone.


Thats right, I forget he's in Cleveland since no one says anything about him like the Piston days. He's still getting paid good tho heh. 

So that means Avery won't have anyone close to his own age on the roster... Watch out Bulls fans.


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

Imagine all of our current vintage players ending up with CHI....


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

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## VeN (May 10, 2005)

stevemc said:


> Thats right, I forget he's in Cleveland since no one says anything about him like the Piston days. He's still getting paid good tho heh.
> 
> So that means Avery won't have anyone close to his own age on the roster... Watch out Bulls fans.


adrian griffin gone too? lol


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

> Avery Johnson had extremely high praise for Dirk during today's press conference.
> 
> "Put it this way: He's the hardest-working player I've ever been around," Avery said. "All right?"
> 
> ...


That must feel like a low blow to some of the players, unfortunately he is right.


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## LionOfJudah (May 27, 2003)

croco said:


> That must feel like a low blow to some of the players, unfortunately he is right.


Sounds like half the team turned on Avery at some point this year from those quotes. Only supporting Dirk and no one else. Way to inadvertently burn bridges with everyone but Dirk. How are you to get Stackhosue, Eddie Jones, or Juwan Howard to follow you over to the new team Avery?


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

He didn't slam Damp - maybe when he gets to NY, he can send Curry or Randolph this way. :angel:


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## LionOfJudah (May 27, 2003)

xray said:


> He didn't slam Damp - maybe when he gets to NY, he can send Curry or Randolph this way. :angel:


Wonder if Damp will claim he's the best center in the East if that happens...


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## Aurelino (Jul 25, 2003)

http://www.nba.com/mavericks/news/Avery_Johnson_QA_050108.html

[email protected] Trying to take credit for whatever he can and he definitely makes it sound like the Kidd trade killed any chances that the Mavs might have had in the playoffs.


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

Aurelino said:


> http://www.nba.com/mavericks/news/Avery_Johnson_QA_050108.html
> 
> [email protected] Trying to take credit for whatever he can and he definitely makes it sound like the Kidd trade killed any chances that the Mavs might have had in the playoffs.


Doesn't surprise me at all.


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

AJ has an excuse for everything. Now that he doesn't have a job here anymore, it's the Kidd trade....


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## t1no (Jul 10, 2005)

He's very selfish.


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