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
We are trying to win a championship. But we're in the first year of implementing a program.
There was a four- or five-day process when they were on their rooftops, sleeping on roofs and in attics trying to escape, ... Once it hit, you don't have any communication no cellphone, no e-mail, anything with your family. It took five or six days just to find some of my close family. They're OK right now, and we're grateful. Now it's a matter of helping people who are less fortunate than my family.
I wasn't trying to rally the team by getting ejected. I think it was more just a difference of opinion. We were dealing with things the whole game, and we thought that we had a legitimate beef with the way they were playing Dirk. I guess we were wrong.
You just play it out, because you're just trying to win as many games as you can. Wherever you land in the playoffs, you've got to go out and play anyway. I just couldn't see myself doing anything but giving 1,000 percent on the sideline.
I don't want our team to misconstrue the message of us trying to get to the next level. We're not going to get there in one night, all right? No matter what's been said over the All-Star break or what race we're supposed to be in, it's all meaningless right now.
For us to be injured and trying to get some guys back, I guess we've got to be pleased with the results.
But we are trying to figure out how to take the next step. We've got a system in place now, and we're trying to plug in the right pieces.
Nick is so hungry for a championship. I remember when we lost to San Antonio in the Western Conference finals. I had never really seen Nick that emotional. All he had on his mind was trying to get back ... trying to get back. I think that's why when that trade happened he took it so hard.
We're trying to get people to realize that even though he doesn't play exactly like Elton Brand or Tim Duncan or Karl Malone, that's OK. His body's not built like those guys', but he still makes strong moves. And I don't know how much people are convinced of that yet. We hope he continues to get the respect.
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's not even so much 2-0 for us, it's just trying to play this game like there's no tomorrow. When we do that, we seem to play better, we seem to play more focused, and that's the only way you can play against Memphis.
It's a big improvement from last year, ... He's really trying defensively. And the kid is healthy. Last year he was playing on one ankle.
It is a disappointing loss. When we come to the games we try and give ourselves a chance to win. I wasn't trying to rally the team by getting ejected; I think it was more a difference of opinion.
Our team has made some progress with being proactive on defense. There's a certain mentality where I wanted us to be. ... Forget statistics, forget about how many points we're giving up, field goal percentage, all that stuff - I think our body language is moving in a way that we're trying to be a little more proactive defensively.