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In his exit interview with the media on Wednesday, Dirk Nowitzki answered all questions directly and, it certainly seemed, honestly. He talked about possible changes in the offseason and a variety of other topics. He even suggested that he might now be back because he might be traded, which, I can assure you, will not happen. Here are some excerpts.
-- Jan Hubbard
A few excerpts from former Mavs coach Avery Johnson's Wednesday appearance on Randy Galloway's radio show:
On the big move:
I would say more than anything I knew that after this year we were probably going in a different direction. Mark has been awesome to me and my family. This was probably something that needed to be done. This is something that needed to happen. It happened. We all need to go our separate ways. There is no animosity, bitterness or nothing. We just needed to go in a different direction.
On how it went down:
Mark was on the cell when Donnie and I were meeting, and you talk about friendly...absolutely. You talk about the whole body of work we put together... Why would anybody in their right mind be angry with me? We’ll put our resume in the last three years up against anybody.
In case you didn't see it in print or on our web site, here's the juicy news on the "players-only practice" on Monday. A snippet:
Johnson, who stressed no partying during the series, was informed before Monday’s scheduled practice that Howard handed out fliers to teammates in the locker room before Game 4, inviting them to his party at a Dallas nightclub.
So, go read the whole story, because it's good, and you won't find it anywhere but the Star-Telegram.
-Scooter Hendon
Leave your write-in vote in the comments below.
Once again, Brandon Bass is a difference maker. He just outhustled four Hornets to get a bucket with no other Mavericks around. He's doing a great job on David West defensively and is as active as anyone on the floor. His energy and athleticism are so huge for this team...so knowing The Mavericks thought processes, he'll likely be sitting down soon.
-Scooter Hendon
It was a weird half for the Mavs. They are down by 15 at the half, so there's nothing weird there. But the Maverick contributors were the strange part. Jerry Stackhouse, Jason Kidd and Josh Howard finished the half with 26 of the 39 Dallas points after combining for only 11 in Game 4. Too bad everyone else has innefficient and unreliable. To the Hornets credit, they have played very well to finish with an all-too-familiar big lead.
-Scooter Hendon
Two players who have been involved very little so far in this series are contributing quite a bit early on. Josh Howard and Jason Kidd have combined for all 11 Mavericks points and are a combined 5-6 from the floor. It's a fresh bit of consistency and aggression that these guys haven't displayed this series, and if they can keep it up, the Mavs might have a chance in this game. Heavy emphasis on might.
-Scooter Hendon
Is Avery Johnson skating on thin ice? Could his tenure with the Mavs be over if they don't somehow figure out a way to win this series?
"I would hope not," Johnson said. "I love what I'm doing and I love the team and I just think right now I'm just focusing on coming out and trying to get this team ready to play as best as we can and then whatever happens tomorrow, then we'll have to manage that part of it."
Asked if the speculation about his future as head coach has been a distraction for his team, Johnson said: "That's a part of the existence of being in the league, whether it's a player or a coach. It's all about managing. You manage wins, you manage rotations, you manage speculation, you manage the highs and lows, that's all a part of this business and that's what we sign up for."
-- Jeff Caplan
While players pretty much downplayed Monday's players-only practice, Mavs coach Avery Johnson didn't shed much more light on exactly what went down.
"We came in with the intention to practice and then something changed, and when we decided to not practice, then we had some of our leaders step up, which I've always wanted, and they decided to go on the court and do something," Johnson said.
A reporter asked if Johson had walked out of practice because he was unhappy. That bit of information is unsubstantiated. It seems Johnson met with the team, canceled practice, told them they'd meet on the plane and then the players decided to hold their own practice...so when asked about walking out, Johnson replied: "I don't want to get into that."
None of it really matters. The players have to now take charge in Game 5. Johnson can't help them shoot better or get back faster to prevent the Hornets from lighting them up with transition layups.
-- Jeff Caplan
At Tuesday morning's shootaround, guard Jason Terry downplayed Monday's players-only practice as "no big deal."
When asked if he and the team believe they are playing for coach Avery Johnson's job, Terry said:
"That's nothing we can control. The only thing we can control is going out there and playing. If you look at it, all of our jobs are on the line. Hey, it is what it is. We have to go out and win this game win this series and advance. That's our whole focus tonight is getting down and dirty and sending this thing back to Dallas."
The Mavs have had chances to win games. They led 52-40 at halftime of Game 1 and led 30-23 after one quarter of Game 4, but huge third quarters by the Hornets led to blowout victories.
"Big emphasis on our third quarters," Terry said. "Not good. Not doing the things that got us the lead as far as moving the ball offensively and getting our defense set. That's a big key."
-- Jeff Caplan
