The Sporting News published an interesting article about how Avery Johnson took over for Don Nelson as the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks.
Credit Nelson and the organization for helping Johnson, 41, make a seamless transition from the end of the bench to the head of it. Three years ago, Johnson was a backup point guard with the Mavericks. When he did not make the playoff roster, Nelson had him sit in on game-planning sessions during the team’s run to the conference finals.
“He was running training camp from Day 1 (in 2004),” says [Devin] Harris, a second-year point guard. “I’ve never seen him as anything but a coach.”
Before long, Johnson — if you want to know why he’s called “Little General,” watch him during practice — was offering opinions in meetings. By midseason, he had been the substitute head coach in a number of games. Last March Nelson felt it was the time for a change, and Johnson took over.
“The players already were used to hearing his voice,” Mavs assistant head coach Del Harris says. “He was used to being in charge virtually, so it worked out very smoothly. This really has been the ideal situation for a young coach.”
In less than a year, Johnson did something with the Mavs that Nelson was never able to do – he got them to play defense. That, along with Dirk Nowitzki’s newfound determination to go to the hole, has them playing in the Finals instead of sitting at home watching the Spurs represent the West.
