Dallas Fires Avery Johnson After Mavs' Early Exit

The Dallas Mavericks fired coach Avery Johnson on Wednesday, the first of what's likely to be many offseason moves after the league's highest payroll produced a second straight first-round knockout from the playoffs.

Johnson leaves with an impressive resume after three-plus seasons, but Mavs owner Mark Cuban couldn't tolerate a bottom line of being 3-12 in the playoffs since blowing a 2-0 lead in the 2006 NBA finals.

The Mavericks followed that disappointment by the embarrassment of being ousted by Golden State in the opening round last season in one of the biggest upsets in league history. They were just dumped in five games by Chris Paul and the New Orleans Hornets. Dallas didn't win a single road game against the Heat, Warriors or Hornets, an 0-9 skid that was too much to overcome. Read more

[juggs]

drmagic wrote:

let me be the first to play the tired asst race card.
how dare they fire a black man like that? if he was white no one would have a thing to say. i am outraged. i am calling Al Sharpton, another pissed-off brotha.*LOL*

Thats a mighty mild Race-=card.
The relieved him of his duties.
In other words
they fired the spook

[Dena]

C'mon guys. All the way from Georgia and Illinois. You probably plugged into Dallas news just to get your comment in on a black coach being fired. Keep looking, we had a black man kill his child's mom and shoot her kids here today and let me see..this week Dallas exonerated a black man alfter being in prison for 23 years. People like you make it a hardship on "your people". Instead of being just black why don't you put a big fat X on your back or some other target - have some class.
Back to the discussion I was hoping to find - Coach Avery I have so enjoyed you, your candor, integrity, convictions, tenacity and faith. I have taped your weekly show and have been influenced by your take away thoughts each week. Thank you for your inspirations! I'm sure you are at peace with this change and will be at more peace working with an owner who shares your character and vision. God bless you!

[Indigenous]

Dallas's loss is Avery's gain. He'll coach another team again. That Dallas team doesn't have a clue about winning. They will never get it together. To many jump shooters, no rebounders, no hustle, no leaders! A meddlesome owner, can someone say headache? There ain't enough Tylenol, to play for, or coach that team!

[MJR]

The Maverick organization are the biggest loosers for not keeping a First Class Coach that was finally able to get them into the playoffs. Once again you have an arrogant owner that is nothing but a cry baby and has no knowledge of basketball. I am happy to see that at least the players had respect for Avery Johnson and the way he coached them. Avery will have a new coaching job in no time at all. The best to you Avery for being a class coach that had to work under a whinning owner.