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bernardos70 · 05-22-2006, 12:41 PM

It's about trust
Mavs counting on each other in series finale
By ART GARCIA
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

NBAE/BILL BAPTIST VIA GETTY IMAGES
Avery Johnson put his trust in point guard Devin Harris more in the playoffs and has been rewarded with stellar play.
More photos

SAN ANTONIO -- Once, Avery Johnson could hardly stand talking to David Robinson.

The heart and soul of the San Antonio Spurs were the closest of friends, but there was a time when Johnson didn't understand Robinson. He didn't understand why Robinson couldn't reconcile his Christian beliefs with the cutthroat nature of playoff basketball.

The breaking point came when Houston defeated San Antonio in the 1995 Western Conference Finals. Johnson mercilessly called out Robinson in front of the entire team, saying the franchise center would never lead the Spurs to the title.

The Little General and the Admiral drifted apart.

"We were really angry after our loss to Houston," Johnson said. "That was just tough on everybody. Not pointing the finger at David, I was just so emotionally drained from that series, it had a lingering effect. Maybe we didn't talk as much as we did in the past summers, but it didn't last long."

It lasted long enough and bothered Johnson enough that he sought guidance from his lifelong pastor. Bishop Lester Love's words were simple: "David isn't you."

Robinson wasn't wired like Johnson. He didn't burn like Johnson burned.

That's OK, Love said. Acceptance runs both ways.

"That was a big turning point for me, because David always accepted me," Johnson said. "He accepted me, he accepted my flaws, and my teammates did, too. I wasn't always the perfect leader that everybody painted me out to be."

The lesson never left Johnson's heart. As the Mavericks enter Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals tonight against San Antonio at the AT&T Center, trust is at the center of Johnson's coaching ethos.

So even if he's upset with Jason Terry or disappointed with Devin Harris or unsure how his team will respond, trust doesn't waver.

Johnson had it when the Mavs were leading the Spurs 3-1. He had it when Terry took himself out of Game 6 with a punch.

He's not going to let trust waver at 3-3.

"I'm not flawless as a coach," Johnson said. "The biggest key for me is not X's and O's or some cute drill in practice. It's my relationship with my players. That's the thing I'm banking on. I don't have anything else."

Johnson has coached the Mavs through one Game 7, a 40-point blowout of Houston in the last year's first round. But the Rockets aren't the Spurs.

San Antonio is the defending champion. Former two-time MVP Tim Duncan is playing like one again. Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, for all their struggles at times in the series, have made huge contributions.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has adjusted and readjusted in this series, going small and controlling the second-half tempo in the last two games.

The Mavs realize they're in for a fight. Getting to three wins is nothing compared to the fourth.

"If you're a competitor, you have to fight through some stuff," Dirk Nowitzki said. "You've got to learn from the lows and don't get too high with the highs. We're up 3-1 and we're real high, and next thing you know, we lose two in a row.

"We had to fight through Jet being out, but now it's one game we've got to win and that's how we have to approach it. Everything else doesn't matter at this point. What happened in the series doesn't matter. It's one game. We've got to win it."

Johnson expects Terry and Harris to bounce back after separate disappearing acts in Game 6. With Harris it was just a poor game, but Terry put the Mavs in an almost unforgivable bind with his suspension.

"If we have an adverse situation, we're not going to run from it and back down," Terry said. "It tends to bring the best out of us, as it should. But both teams are going to be fighting adversity."

Josh Howard left for San Antonio with a chip on his shoulder. Johnson played with one for 16 years.

"I don't really have nothing to say because I'm [ticked]," Howard said. "I don't like to lose. We were up 3-1 and should have closed the series out, but things happen."

Just as something happened between Johnson and Robinson. The divide would bring Johnson and Robinson closer than ever before.

They won a title together -- San Antonio's first -- in 1999.

Johnson trusts he can do it again.

FREE WAY

The formula for winning in the Mavs-Spurs West semifinal has been simple: Win the free-throw line battle. A game-by-game comparison:

Game 1

Mavs 19-28 (67.9)
Spurs 22-30 (73.3)

Result: Spurs, 87-85

Game 2

Mavs 35-43 (81.4)
Spurs 27-37 (73.0)

Result: Mavs, 113-91

Game 3

Mavs 39-50 (78.0)
Spurs 22-32 (68.8)

Result: Mavs, 104-103

Game 4

Mavs 28-32 (87.5)
Spurs 26-32 (81.3)

Result: Mavs, 123-118 OT

Game 5

Mavs 16-19 (84.2)
Spurs 22-31 (71.0)

Result: Spurs, 98-97

Game 6

Mavs 17-20 (85.0)
Spurs 29-34 (85.3)

Result: Spurs, 91-86

SAFE AT HOME?

Home teams have won 81.7 percent (76 of 93) of the Game 7s in NBA history. But in the last six Game 7s, the trend has changed a bit:

'05 East first round

Pacers 97 at Celtics 70

'05 West first round

at Mavs 116, Rockets 76

'05 East final

Pistons 88 at Heat 82

'05 NBA Finals

at Spurs 81, Pistons 74

'06 West first round

at Suns 121, Lakers 90

'06 East semifinal

at Pistons 79, Cavs 61

Game 7 brings out the fire in Avery. 10D

Spurs not home free, but do have edge. 11D

IN THE KNOW

NBA Game 7s since 2000

2000

EAST SEMIFINAL

Knicks 83, at Heat 82

WEST FINAL

at LA Lakers 89, Blazers 84

2001

EAST SEMIFINALS

at 76ers 88, Raptors 87

at Bucks 104, Hornets 95

EAST FINAL

at 76ers 108, Bucks 91

2002

WEST FINAL

LA Lakers 112, at Kings 106 (OT)

2003

EAST FIRST ROUND

at Pistons 108, Magic 93

WEST FIRST ROUND

at Mavs 107, Blazers 95

WEST SEMIFINAL

at Mavs 112, Kings 99

2004

EAST FIRST ROUND

at Heat 85, Hornets 77

WEST SEMIFINAL

at T'wolves 83, Kings 80

EAST SEMIFINAL

at Pistons 90, Nets 69

2005

EAST FIRST ROUND

Pacers 97, at Celtics 70

WEST FIRST ROUND

at Mavs 116, Rockets 76

EAST FINAL

Pistons 88, at Heat 82

NBA FINALS

at Spurs 81, Pistons 74

2006

WEST FIRST ROUND

at Suns 121, Lakers 90

EAST SEMIFINAL

at Pistons 79, Cavs 61

05-22-2006, 12:41 PM	#49
bernardos70 Diamond Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 6,655	It's about trust Mavs counting on each other in series finale By ART GARCIA Star-Telegram Staff Writer NBAE/BILL BAPTIST VIA GETTY IMAGES Avery Johnson put his trust in point guard Devin Harris more in the playoffs and has been rewarded with stellar play. More photos SAN ANTONIO -- Once, Avery Johnson could hardly stand talking to David Robinson. The heart and soul of the San Antonio Spurs were the closest of friends, but there was a time when Johnson didn't understand Robinson. He didn't understand why Robinson couldn't reconcile his Christian beliefs with the cutthroat nature of playoff basketball. The breaking point came when Houston defeated San Antonio in the 1995 Western Conference Finals. Johnson mercilessly called out Robinson in front of the entire team, saying the franchise center would never lead the Spurs to the title. The Little General and the Admiral drifted apart. "We were really angry after our loss to Houston," Johnson said. "That was just tough on everybody. Not pointing the finger at David, I was just so emotionally drained from that series, it had a lingering effect. Maybe we didn't talk as much as we did in the past summers, but it didn't last long." It lasted long enough and bothered Johnson enough that he sought guidance from his lifelong pastor. Bishop Lester Love's words were simple: "David isn't you." Robinson wasn't wired like Johnson. He didn't burn like Johnson burned. That's OK, Love said. Acceptance runs both ways. "That was a big turning point for me, because David always accepted me," Johnson said. "He accepted me, he accepted my flaws, and my teammates did, too. I wasn't always the perfect leader that everybody painted me out to be." The lesson never left Johnson's heart. As the Mavericks enter Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals tonight against San Antonio at the AT&T Center, trust is at the center of Johnson's coaching ethos. So even if he's upset with Jason Terry or disappointed with Devin Harris or unsure how his team will respond, trust doesn't waver. Johnson had it when the Mavs were leading the Spurs 3-1. He had it when Terry took himself out of Game 6 with a punch. He's not going to let trust waver at 3-3. "I'm not flawless as a coach," Johnson said. "The biggest key for me is not X's and O's or some cute drill in practice. It's my relationship with my players. That's the thing I'm banking on. I don't have anything else." Johnson has coached the Mavs through one Game 7, a 40-point blowout of Houston in the last year's first round. But the Rockets aren't the Spurs. San Antonio is the defending champion. Former two-time MVP Tim Duncan is playing like one again. Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, for all their struggles at times in the series, have made huge contributions. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has adjusted and readjusted in this series, going small and controlling the second-half tempo in the last two games. The Mavs realize they're in for a fight. Getting to three wins is nothing compared to the fourth. "If you're a competitor, you have to fight through some stuff," Dirk Nowitzki said. "You've got to learn from the lows and don't get too high with the highs. We're up 3-1 and we're real high, and next thing you know, we lose two in a row. "We had to fight through Jet being out, but now it's one game we've got to win and that's how we have to approach it. Everything else doesn't matter at this point. What happened in the series doesn't matter. It's one game. We've got to win it." Johnson expects Terry and Harris to bounce back after separate disappearing acts in Game 6. With Harris it was just a poor game, but Terry put the Mavs in an almost unforgivable bind with his suspension. "If we have an adverse situation, we're not going to run from it and back down," Terry said. "It tends to bring the best out of us, as it should. But both teams are going to be fighting adversity." Josh Howard left for San Antonio with a chip on his shoulder. Johnson played with one for 16 years. "I don't really have nothing to say because I'm [ticked]," Howard said. "I don't like to lose. We were up 3-1 and should have closed the series out, but things happen." Just as something happened between Johnson and Robinson. The divide would bring Johnson and Robinson closer than ever before. They won a title together -- San Antonio's first -- in 1999. Johnson trusts he can do it again. FREE WAY The formula for winning in the Mavs-Spurs West semifinal has been simple: Win the free-throw line battle. A game-by-game comparison: Game 1 Mavs 19-28 (67.9) Spurs 22-30 (73.3) Result: Spurs, 87-85 Game 2 Mavs 35-43 (81.4) Spurs 27-37 (73.0) Result: Mavs, 113-91 Game 3 Mavs 39-50 (78.0) Spurs 22-32 (68.8) Result: Mavs, 104-103 Game 4 Mavs 28-32 (87.5) Spurs 26-32 (81.3) Result: Mavs, 123-118 OT Game 5 Mavs 16-19 (84.2) Spurs 22-31 (71.0) Result: Spurs, 98-97 Game 6 Mavs 17-20 (85.0) Spurs 29-34 (85.3) Result: Spurs, 91-86 SAFE AT HOME? Home teams have won 81.7 percent (76 of 93) of the Game 7s in NBA history. But in the last six Game 7s, the trend has changed a bit: '05 East first round Pacers 97 at Celtics 70 '05 West first round at Mavs 116, Rockets 76 '05 East final Pistons 88 at Heat 82 '05 NBA Finals at Spurs 81, Pistons 74 '06 West first round at Suns 121, Lakers 90 '06 East semifinal at Pistons 79, Cavs 61 Game 7 brings out the fire in Avery. 10D Spurs not home free, but do have edge. 11D IN THE KNOW NBA Game 7s since 2000 2000 EAST SEMIFINAL Knicks 83, at Heat 82 WEST FINAL at LA Lakers 89, Blazers 84 2001 EAST SEMIFINALS at 76ers 88, Raptors 87 at Bucks 104, Hornets 95 EAST FINAL at 76ers 108, Bucks 91 2002 WEST FINAL LA Lakers 112, at Kings 106 (OT) 2003 EAST FIRST ROUND at Pistons 108, Magic 93 WEST FIRST ROUND at Mavs 107, Blazers 95 WEST SEMIFINAL at Mavs 112, Kings 99 2004 EAST FIRST ROUND at Heat 85, Hornets 77 WEST SEMIFINAL at T'wolves 83, Kings 80 EAST SEMIFINAL at Pistons 90, Nets 69 2005 EAST FIRST ROUND Pacers 97, at Celtics 70 WEST FIRST ROUND at Mavs 116, Rockets 76 EAST FINAL Pistons 88, at Heat 82 NBA FINALS at Spurs 81, Pistons 74 2006 WEST FIRST ROUND at Suns 121, Lakers 90 EAST SEMIFINAL at Pistons 79, Cavs 61 __________________ Let's go Mavs!