Avery's style is a loud work still in progress

[kriD]

Avery's style is a loud work still in progress

By Jim Reeves
Star-Telegram Staff Writer


PHOENIX - New Mavs coach Avery Johnson is shooting holes in Don Nelson's old "Six-Shooter" theory.

"Six-shooter?" Mavs guard Darrell Armstrong said derisively after the coach's tell-it-like-it-is film session before Tuesday's off-day workout at America West Arena. "Avery's got a machine-gun. He's loaded."

Nellie figured he could blow up about six times before people stopped listening and he became just another shrill and demanding voice the players would soon tune out. He actually "stole" the philosophy from longtime friend and Mavs assistant Del Harris, but then Nellie was never one to worry too much about attribution.

If the emotional Johnson is applying the same "Six-Shooter" theory, then his "gun" is already half empty.

Avery's on-court pratfall and subsequent ejection Monday night was a distant second in the flop category to the Mavs' no-show performance in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series with the Suns. Nevertheless, eyebrows are raising at yet another emotional outburst from "The Little General."

If you're scoring along at home, that's three in just eight playoff games. At this pace, if the Mavs stay alive long enough, Johnson might just implode before his team can get to the conference finals.

There was the postgame blowup after Game 1 of the Mavs-Rockets series, when Johnson went after official Joe Crawford and had to be restrained by security. The NBA slapped the Mavs coach with a 10-grand fine.

There was the tirade in Houston after the Mavs were scalded in Game 6, when Johnson went off in the general direction of Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy about the sideshow issues.

And then there was Monday night, when Johnson first screamed at rookie point guard Devin Harris in front of the Mavs' bench and, then, in the third quarter, let himself get caught several steps onto the court during a Suns fast break. When he tried to get back, his leather shoes slipped out from under him, and he went down on his keister, almost tripping official Danny Crawford [no relation to Joe], who had little choice but to slap him with a "T."

There was a reason Johnson was out there, though, and he let Crawford know about it, which is how "The Little General" wound up with his second technical and an escort to the Mavs' locker room for the rest of the game.

"It had nothing to do with me [being embarrassed about] falling," Johnson said. "It was about Dirk driving hard to the hoop and not getting rewarded for it."

Nowitzki, in fact, shot only one free throw all night and that's what Johnson couldn't fathom. Crawford was apparently in no mood to offer an explanation.

Afterward, Johnson supplied a neat punchline to his vaudeville performance.

"I was trying to play defense," he said, drawing a smile from his mentor, Harris, who took over the Mavs bench for the rest of the game. Del has been patiently trying to pass on the same lessons to Avery that he once taught Nellie.

"I've told Avery that, right now, your enthusiasm and your emotion is a positive and a plus for you," Harris said, "but the longer you're in it, you'll learn to kind of have different levels."

Four of them in fact.

"There's the conversational level," Harris said, ticking them off on his fingers. "There's the teaching level. There's the reprimanding or scolding level. Finally, there's the go-crazy level."

Lately, Johnson is majoring in the "go-crazy level," but at this early stage in his coaching career, emotion is one of the coach's best tools. His players respect his burning intensity and desire to win, especially in the cauldron of the playoffs.

"More is at stake now," Johnson said. "Emotions are higher because everything is so magnified.

"Certain mistakes at this stage are unacceptable."

And Avery is not one to pull any punches.

"The problem is, if you're doing everything at the go-crazy level, what's next?" Harris asked. "You can't hit 'em. You can't shoot 'em.

"So you've got to work more down here [at the first and second levels], so the fourth level is more meaningful when you use it."

The rookie coach understands the wisdom Harris has been trying to impart.

"There's a misperception that I'm always at that high intensity level," Johnson pointed out. "I'm not emotional all the time.

"I am fiery. That's just my personality."

And that's A-OK with his players, at least for the moment.

"He played with his heart on his sleeve, and he coaches with his heart on his sleeve," Armstrong said. "He knows the game, and he knows what he wants from his players.

"He gets on everybody the same way. He knows when to be tough and when to back off."

One of Johnson's strongest traits is his brutal honesty.

"Players sometimes don't like to hear the truth and if they do hear it, it hurts," Armstrong said. "Lies make you feel good.

"He's just trying to tell you what's right and what's wrong. That's Avery's job."

The Mavs appreciate that Johnson wants to win as badly as they do and that he stands up for them with the officials and with the media.

"'He'll get in their face," Harris said, "but he also defends them."

Eventually, as his career progresses, Johnson may have to settle back into Nellie's tried and true philosophy.

For the moment, though, "The Little General" seems to have an unlimited bandolier of emotional ammunition.

The "Six-Shooter" theory notwithstanding, he'll be firing at will again tonight in Game 2.

[aexchange]

i think we have a real winner on our hands here.

this may not be the mavs year, but i really think in 2 years or so, we'll be hoisting a championship.

[bo319]

I never understood Nellie's "six shooter" philosophy anyway. I think Greg Popovich has the same theory but it is not 6 a year its six a game and the Spurs sure respond. I think it has to do with the coaches temperament. If you are fiery then that is what they expect.

[Bayliss]

Poppovich sure blasts his team every 3 minutes when effort. In fact, I think if a doctor looked at Gibobili's and Parker's butt they would find Poppovich's teeth marks all over them.

Poppovich has high expectations. And he wants them to meet those expectations. Dooby can give the exact quote but Nellie never liked expectations.

I like Avery. And while he may blow a gasket often, I think he's going to be one hell of a coach.

[GP]

I think Avery is wound to tight. He is either going to burn out or lose the players after a couple of years. Pop has staying power because they WON 2 championships in fairly short order. He fired his coach 1/2 way through the David Robinson injury year and they lost damned near every game. The next year they had Tim Duncan and the rest is history. Pop always looks pissed; however, that may not be accurate at all. It just may be his natural demeanor. He may not jump on players all that much. It may look worse on TV than in reality. In any case, I'd bet that he picks his spots carefully and doesn't flip out as much as it looks like. Personally, I think Phil Jackson ought to be the model for any coach. After all, he is far and away the most successful.

[bo319]

Jackzen is most successfull because he has always had the best player on the planet on the teams he coaches. His talent is harnessing great talent and focusing it in the right direction. AJ has to be true to himself and his personality and the players have to buy in to his system...he will only burn out if he tries to keep it in...now that is more dangerous to his health than letting it out.

[TVI]

What Pop does is actually quite simple. He is consistent. He will get on Duncan's case just as easily as he will get on Bowen or Parker's case. He does not give his all-stars special treatment, and the players respect that. It gives him clout, and they listen to him. They also truly believe that Pop is not trying to embarrass them, but challenge them to be the best player they can be, and they also respect that.

He expects intelligence, defense, and hustle from his players. He can live with missed shots, but missed defensive assignments are going to get you an earful. Too many of them, and you're going to get a butt full (of pine, that is). But the assistant coaches also reel him in from time to time. Just the other day, after Pop got on Bowen about a messed-up defensive switch, PJ had to remind Pop that Bowen had played a hell of a game and series, and that Pop needed to "go give him some love."

I think AJ still has the players' respect, but he does need to be careful about always being in hyper-charged mode. If that's all you do, the players will eventually tune you out. He needs to make sure he provides positive reinforcement as well. Ultimately, he's a smart guy, and I think he'll continue to grow as a coach. He's going to be okay.