THE SIXTH MAN
02-29-2008, 01:37 AM
Buck Harvey: Still the same in Dallas - Johnson can't let go
Web Posted: 02/29/2008 12:30 AM CST
San Antonio Express-News
Avery Johnson coached for the first time in his career with his No. 6 in the rafters. Maybe that explains why he all but wore the jersey.
Maybe that explains why the former point guard subbed out his Hall of Fame point guard. He took control of the floor just as he always did before here.
But nothing explains this.
In the final seconds, Johnson sat down the one the Mavericks traded their future for, the instinctive winner brought in to make everyone forget past playoff chokes, the 35-year-old who has played in a few last-second moments before.
No. 6 sat down No. 2 in the Dallas program and No. 1 on Mark Cuban's payroll. Jason Kidd.
Kidd did play 35 minutes with his customary 10 assists, and he changed the look of the Mavericks. But his appearance didn't change the look of the rivalry. Squint, and this was the 2006 playoffs all over again.
Tim Duncan rolled to the basket for 31 points, albeit without plantar fasciitis. Jason Terry had some anger issues. And Michael Finley again gave Cuban his money's worth.
Then there was Dirk Nowitzki. As it was then, he was unguardable.
The Spurs tried five different defenders on him, and Nowitzki's jerky cleverness created 21 free throws. In Game 3 of the 2006 series Nowitzki attempted more free throws (24) and made more (21) than anyone in Dallas playoff history.
The Spurs protested several calls Thursday night while they clawed at him, and the Mavericks had the right to think Nowitzki should have had a few more. On a late drive it appeared Tony Parker grabbed him.
But as it also was two years ago, Johnson couldn't let that go, either. Afterward he said the game had "shifts for several reasons."
Asked what those reasons were, he answered, "Watch the tape."
Johnson mentioned Parker's tug, and he added an Erick Dampier foul on Duncan. Dampier has his "hands straight up," Johnson said.
Maybe he's right on all of it. But on a night when Nowitzki shot just one fewer free throw than all of the Spurs combined, should officiating be his beef?
If anything, his players should be the ones with a complaint. With 34.5 seconds left, Duncan threw in two free throws after the Dampier "hands straight up" foul. Down by that difference, Johnson called time.
In came Jerry Stackhouse. Out came Kidd.
Just nine days ago, in the wake of the trade, Johnson saw Kidd going in the opposite direction. "He knows how to finish games," Johnson said then, "and that's what we're looking for."
Gregg Popovich compares Kidd to Manu Ginobili, and there were other similarities Thursday. Ginobili, on his way to missing 14 shots, had Kidd's touch.
Popovich naturally sees these two in the best terms. He called Kidd "fearless," and he said he has the "same juice" as Ginobili. "They would have been great warriors in the middle ages," Popovich said.
Kidd is nearly old enough to have played then, so he wouldn't be stumped by whatever sets the Mavericks run. Johnson, too, said his newness to the team wasn't why he benched him.
Instead, Johnson said, "We wanted to spread the floor and give Dirk more room to operate."
That's not illogical strategy. Popovich does the same when trying to free Duncan and, again, Kidd is a notoriously poor shooter.
But if Johnson felt this way, the Mavericks should have never made this trade. The deal cost Dallas both a young talent in Devin Harris and a lot of Cuban's money.
Johnson didn't feel this way when Dallas made the trade, of course. "He's going to help us, because at the end of games he just knows how to win," Johnson gushed on at the time. "A big steal, a big block, a big rebound, big three, his penetration."
The Mavericks shot three times in those final 34.5 seconds, and on the final time there was penetration. But Terry was the one who made it, and Bruce Bowen blocked his shot.
Kidd has spent a career specializing in these kinds of broken plays.
So why didn't Johnson let him?
He couldn't help himself. Going back to his days in San Antonio, No. 6 was always most comfortable being in charge.
[email protected]
link (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA022908.01D.COL.BKNharvey.spurs.2315461.html)
Web Posted: 02/29/2008 12:30 AM CST
San Antonio Express-News
Avery Johnson coached for the first time in his career with his No. 6 in the rafters. Maybe that explains why he all but wore the jersey.
Maybe that explains why the former point guard subbed out his Hall of Fame point guard. He took control of the floor just as he always did before here.
But nothing explains this.
In the final seconds, Johnson sat down the one the Mavericks traded their future for, the instinctive winner brought in to make everyone forget past playoff chokes, the 35-year-old who has played in a few last-second moments before.
No. 6 sat down No. 2 in the Dallas program and No. 1 on Mark Cuban's payroll. Jason Kidd.
Kidd did play 35 minutes with his customary 10 assists, and he changed the look of the Mavericks. But his appearance didn't change the look of the rivalry. Squint, and this was the 2006 playoffs all over again.
Tim Duncan rolled to the basket for 31 points, albeit without plantar fasciitis. Jason Terry had some anger issues. And Michael Finley again gave Cuban his money's worth.
Then there was Dirk Nowitzki. As it was then, he was unguardable.
The Spurs tried five different defenders on him, and Nowitzki's jerky cleverness created 21 free throws. In Game 3 of the 2006 series Nowitzki attempted more free throws (24) and made more (21) than anyone in Dallas playoff history.
The Spurs protested several calls Thursday night while they clawed at him, and the Mavericks had the right to think Nowitzki should have had a few more. On a late drive it appeared Tony Parker grabbed him.
But as it also was two years ago, Johnson couldn't let that go, either. Afterward he said the game had "shifts for several reasons."
Asked what those reasons were, he answered, "Watch the tape."
Johnson mentioned Parker's tug, and he added an Erick Dampier foul on Duncan. Dampier has his "hands straight up," Johnson said.
Maybe he's right on all of it. But on a night when Nowitzki shot just one fewer free throw than all of the Spurs combined, should officiating be his beef?
If anything, his players should be the ones with a complaint. With 34.5 seconds left, Duncan threw in two free throws after the Dampier "hands straight up" foul. Down by that difference, Johnson called time.
In came Jerry Stackhouse. Out came Kidd.
Just nine days ago, in the wake of the trade, Johnson saw Kidd going in the opposite direction. "He knows how to finish games," Johnson said then, "and that's what we're looking for."
Gregg Popovich compares Kidd to Manu Ginobili, and there were other similarities Thursday. Ginobili, on his way to missing 14 shots, had Kidd's touch.
Popovich naturally sees these two in the best terms. He called Kidd "fearless," and he said he has the "same juice" as Ginobili. "They would have been great warriors in the middle ages," Popovich said.
Kidd is nearly old enough to have played then, so he wouldn't be stumped by whatever sets the Mavericks run. Johnson, too, said his newness to the team wasn't why he benched him.
Instead, Johnson said, "We wanted to spread the floor and give Dirk more room to operate."
That's not illogical strategy. Popovich does the same when trying to free Duncan and, again, Kidd is a notoriously poor shooter.
But if Johnson felt this way, the Mavericks should have never made this trade. The deal cost Dallas both a young talent in Devin Harris and a lot of Cuban's money.
Johnson didn't feel this way when Dallas made the trade, of course. "He's going to help us, because at the end of games he just knows how to win," Johnson gushed on at the time. "A big steal, a big block, a big rebound, big three, his penetration."
The Mavericks shot three times in those final 34.5 seconds, and on the final time there was penetration. But Terry was the one who made it, and Bruce Bowen blocked his shot.
Kidd has spent a career specializing in these kinds of broken plays.
So why didn't Johnson let him?
He couldn't help himself. Going back to his days in San Antonio, No. 6 was always most comfortable being in charge.
[email protected]
link (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA022908.01D.COL.BKNharvey.spurs.2315461.html)