04/26/24
March 19, 2005
Little General, Head Coach.: Second all time winningest (but championshipless) coach Don Nelson is releasing the reigns of the Mavericks to Avery Johnson, citing "family and other reasons". Avery will take over immediately, beginning with tonight's game against the Charlotte Bobcats.
posted by Ufez Jones to basketball at 12:54 PM - 6 comments
Well, this one's been in the cards for a long time. No surprise. What's up with Donnie Jr.?
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 01:32 PM on March 19, 2005
It's only a bit surprising in the timing to me, Weedy. Even early this week all the local news hacks kept repeating the standard line of "when Avery takes over after the 05-06 season". I don't think anyone expected Nelson to call it quits with fewer than 20 games left in the reg. season. Donnie's still with the Mavs as Head of Basketball Operations, but gave up on his coaching aspirations (for one reason or another) when Avery came on board. I don't think he's sat on the bench at all this year, and maybe none last year.
posted by Ufez Jones at 02:14 PM on March 19, 2005
Hey Ufez, do you think Avery will be coach next year? It seems like the driving force behind getting Avery in as head coach was always Nelson. Is Cuban going to go along with it?
posted by dusted at 03:15 PM on March 19, 2005
I haven't heard anything but Johnson as the predecessor for about a year or so now, dusted. If Dell Harris sticks around to help out again next year, I can see Cuban going with Avery. Then again, I've been wrong in guessing just about everything Cuban is going to do/has done over the past five years, so your guess is as good as mine. It may hinge on how the end of the season and playoffs go. If the Mavs go out in the first round in an ugly fashion - like last season, then I'd expect to see Cuban (and Donnie, for that matter) look around a bit and give Avery a season or two more as an Ass't. If they have a good run and make to at least the Conference Finals - as they did the year before - I wouldn't be shocked to see Johnson as the permanent head.
posted by Ufez Jones at 05:58 PM on March 19, 2005
And like all good divorces, the kiddos start rebelling. WTF, Queasy?
posted by Ufez Jones at 12:50 AM on March 20, 2005
Too bad he quit without a title. Nelson's one of the great offensive innovators in the league. I figured that his days in Dallas were numbered; he and Cuban haven't seen eye to eye for a long time.