AJ wins coach of the year

[timvp]

Avery Johnson Will Be The NBA's Vince Lombardi

[GoSpurs21]

well if AJ didnt get it I am sure Mark Cuban will send video and stats to whine and complain that AJ deserves it

[ducks]

how many times has the coach of year not made it past the first round of the playoffs

[J.T.]

Well now we know Dirk's getting MVP... oh well better than Billups I guess.

[JamStone]

should it not be the wins or losses ?
that is what matters


so pop should get the award because he changed the way the spurs played this year compared to last year

they went more to tp then duncan

So, it should be based on wins and losses and it should go to Pop?

So, count the wins and losses, but don't include Flip and the Detroit Pistons?

[TheTruth]

WHAT???? No Phil Jackson?

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Most people had the Mavs ranked at best fourth in the West, behind SA, Phoenix, and Houston. Some had them behind Denver.

Well, they are seeded fourth...

I'm unimpressed. He got his team two more wins than last year and still finished second to the Spurs. Weak.

[spurschick]

Now let's retire his jersey

[JHoLove]

Most people had the Mavs ranked at best fourth in the West, behind SA, Phoenix, and Houston. Some had them behind Denver.

Some people even had the Mavs finishing 4th in the division.

I'm happy for Avery, he deserves it.

[dknights411]

Considering the way they finished last season with AJ as coach, having a full training camp with him and returning their entire young nucleus you actually predicted the Mavericks would be eight games WORSE than the previous year? I'm not sure I understand that.

They also lost Finley. I wasn't completly sold on the idea of Dirk carrying a team by himself back then.

[Extra Stout]

Of course A.J. is Coach of the Year. He put the "D" back in Dallas. Short of parting the Red Sea, I'm not aware of any more unlikely accomplishments.

There will come a time, after Tim is old and past his prime, that Dallas vs. Cleveland will be what San Antonio vs. Detroit is today.

[Extra Stout]

Well, they are seeded fourth...

I'm unimpressed. He got his team two more wins than last year and still finished second to the Spurs. Weak.

The only reason they won as many as 58 games last year is because they went on a 16-2 spurt when AJ took the reins.

So far, in 100 regular season games, he is 76-24. Not bad.

Of course, his Mavs will lose to the Spurs in the next round, but his day will come. He'll get at least a couple of rings as a coach.

[1Parker1]

Well now we know Dirk's getting MVP...

That was my first thought after reading this also.

Congrats AJ. I personally think he deserves it the most out of all the leading candidates...because any coach who gets the Mavs to pay some semblance of Defense has got to be good.

[ShoogarBear]

Of course A.J. is Coach of the Year. He put the "D" back in Dallas. Short of parting the Red Sea, I'm not aware of any more unlikely accomplishments.

There will come a time, after Tim is old and past his prime, that Dallas vs. Cleveland will be what San Antonio vs. Detroit is today.

I dunno. Dallas is still Dirk. And Dirk is only two years younger than Tim. Their primes are going to pretty much coincide. He may be destined to be a career Alydar.

[Extra Stout]

I dunno. Dallas is still Dirk. And Dirk is only two years younger than Tim. Their primes are going to pretty much coincide. He may be destined to be a career Alydar.

So Dallas has a two- or three-year window coming up.

I suspect Dirk's prime will last a little longer than TIm's, since Dirk has not spent his entire career getting clobbered in the low post.

[pking]

Well now we know Dirk's getting MVP... oh well better than Billups I guess.

I thought the complete opposite. I assumed that means no MVP for Dirk. Of course, I didn't think he was going to get it anyway but this kind of confirmed it for me.


Alot of media picked Dallas to be 6-8 in the west. I think AJ's done a great job...I'm happy for him.

[ShoogarBear]

So Dallas has a two- or three-year window coming up.

I suspect Dirk's prime will last a little longer than TIm's, since Dirk has not spent his entire career getting clobbered in the low post.

True, but as soon as Tim goes, Pop will retire and AJ will step up to a more prestigious job.

[ducks]

aj will never coach the spurs
because he is not loyal to the spurs
he is loyal to cuban and his $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[Vinnie_Johnson]

Suck my balls, Flip, "The Coattail Rider" Saunders.

How old are you?

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Some people even had the Mavs finishing 4th in the division.

Who was that? Most people I saw had them finishing second or third, and they finished... second.

The only thing I see people pointing to is some thought that Houston would finish ahead of the Mavs.

If that's the case, why does Avery deserve coach of the year because Houston was relying on two cripples - Yao and TMac - to get them anywhere?

[FromWayDowntown]

Props to AJ. It's great to see the Little General get his props.

I've wondered all year, though, why Mike Dunleavy hasn't gotten more love from the media for the job that he's done with the Clippers. That guy has built a winner from scraps and has done it while demanding and causing a change of the culture around the Clippers organization. They've gone out and gotten some guys, but Dunleavy has totally made over that team and is hugely responsible for the fact that the Clipps have not only made the playoffs but also might win a series (or two). For all of the run that AJ, D'Antoni, Phil, and Flip have gotten this year, I think Dunleavy may have done the best job in basketball.

[bigfundamental21]

Well deserved for Avery. He did more with that team that most expected and handled injuries to key players well. In a way this is a win for Pop and the Spurs as he is a Pop prodigy. He learned from the best.

[Boulevard1]

ing awesome

[T Park]

He was by far the best coach this season.

incorrect,

Byron Scott, Mike Dunleavy, and Gregg Popovich all did far and away better jobs.


BS....

[Duff McCartney]

I'm unimpressed. He got his team two more wins than last year and still finished second to the Spurs. Weak.

Agreed.

I've wondered all year, though, why Mike Dunleavy hasn't gotten more love from the media for the job that he's done with the Clippers. That guy has built a winner from scraps and has done it while demanding and causing a change of the culture around the Clippers organization. They've gone out and gotten some guys, but Dunleavy has totally made over that team and is hugely responsible for the fact that the Clipps have not only made the playoffs but also might win a series (or two). For all of the run that AJ, D'Antoni, Phil, and Flip have gotten this year, I think Dunleavy may have done the best job in basketball.

Agreed again. Larry Brown takes the Clippers to their first playoff showing in more than a decade and he is possibly the greatest coach ever.

Mike Dunleavy does it and he doesn't even sniff COY. Lame.