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NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: SUNS v MAVERICKS

May 28, 2006

Avery Johnson

PHOENIX, ARIZONA: Game Three

Q. Avery, in the first game you had your defenders play on the perimeter quite a bit against the three point. The second game you were in the post more, you had Diop in there. First quarter you played Dampier and then Diop both in opposite games. When you played the Suns is it a matter of experimenting from game to game or to see what works and then get into it because you've done a lot of different things so far?
COACH AVERY JOHNSON: Well, I think in the first game Diop came off a situation in Game 7 where he had a broken nose and we were just trying to get him comfortable and we didn't know from a physical standpoint we were dealing with issues here.
Damp had just played in Game 7 for us and probably the biggest game since I've been a coach here in San Antonio, and he had played against Phoenix last year in the playoffs, and we thought we'd go that way. We knew we didn't want to play both centers against the Suns, and it was Damp's opportunity. But in looking at the film, we thought with the pace of the game that it would be a fit for us overall in what we were trying to do.
So I think we just from game to game just take a look at where we are. We have a better understanding of what we're working with. We played this team last year in the playoffs and you never necessarily figure them out. You just gotta have lineups up there on the court that gives you your best opportunity to get back on defense and to also play well on offense.
Q. When you get a win in Game 2 at home do you change your strategy coming into Game 3 tonight?
COACH AVERY JOHNSON: Well, I think for us we have two games on film and basically you're dealing with concepts. We played them six games last year in the playoffs. Obviously it's different players. There's no Stoudemire, no Joe Johnson, but you have six games on film. Two games down that you have and you just try to get in a pattern defensively and offensively of how you like to play and now you just gotta get good at it.
And that's what we're hoping, that we have a certain way that we like to play. But we were just really embarrassed by our defense in Game 1.
It was just -- I think I've used atrocious. Have I used that word, Sarah? That's what it was. So they're good offensively but we just were not there at all in Game 1.
Q. Avery, you have more of the traditional hands-on coaching style, that D'Antoni is a little bit different, more hands-off, untraditional. Can you talk about his style of coaching from what you observed in the two years you've coached against him?
COACH AVERY JOHNSON: Well, I'm not sure, I haven't been to one of their practices and I'm not sure what happens behind the scenes, but I think he has a system in that fits their style of play and their players. He has a style of play that fits their players, and, you know, Steve Nash has played in a similar system before. Not exactly the same way, with Coach Nelson.
So I think a lot has to do with Nash and his skill level, which is a very high skill level, but at the same time I think every coach in our industry has different personalities, and I think they just try to do what's comfortable for them, and so I'm not sure how they practice or what kind of shoot-arounds they have or whatever.
But we just kind of do what works well for us.
Q. San Antonio got by last year, this test with the Phoenix Suns and high, fast pace, then went on and played Detroit. You're doing it the opposite way. Do you think it's more or less challenging right now to have to kind of cater to the Suns' style and are there less adjustments that you actually have to make whereas there were different matchups? You would know what to expect right now, they're going to run and they're going to try to run for seven games?
COACH AVERY JOHNSON: Well, I think they're a team that likes to play one way. They're not one day or one game a half-court team and then one day they're a running team. They are what they are. And they want you to adjust to the way they play.
Fortunately in our situation, like I said pretty much all season, we're pretty adjustable team. We've played against teams where I've played Dirk at the 3 and Van Horn at the 4, with a 5 against some of the power teams in the Eastern Conference. And I've played Dirk at 5. Some this year, some against the Spurs in the last series.
So even though we have a certain style and a certain way that we play, we feel that we're balanced enough and deep enough that we can play a lot of different ways, and hopefully that can continue to be an asset for us, especially against this team.
Q. Last year, when the Wizards made the trade for Antawn Jamison, a lot was made about the impact he had in Washington leading them to the playoffs for the first time in a long time. Can you talk about the trade with the impact Stackhouse and Devin Harris have had on this squad especially in this year and San Antonio series where they really stepped up?
COACH AVERY JOHNSON: That's a good question, Stack, he's been tremendous. You know, you hear certain things about players, and I always give players the benefit of the doubt and Stack has been incredible on and off the court, been a good role model for our players. He supposedly didn't practice but I haven't seen it. The times he don't practice are the times that I shut him down and just tell him read the paper or something. But he's been a good citizen on and off the floor and Devin has been obviously a really -- he was part of our success.
And again that's the great thing about coaching this team, that we didn't inherit a great team like some people would lead you to believe. We didn't inherit a very good team. A very good team is the one that I was on that went to the Western Conference Finals. But we inherited a team with a good foundation when you add guys like Stack and Devin, now we have Adrian Griffin and DeSagana Diop and on and on, and Erick Dampier. We have some guys in the second year of their playoffs, it really shows how far these young men have come. But Stack and Devin has been a big part of our success.
Q. Thanks, by the way for encouraging your players to read the newspaper. But --
COACH AVERY JOHNSON: Yeah, I just tell them don't read your articles.
(Laughter).
Q. Well, I would tell them the same thing?
COACH AVERY JOHNSON: Okay.
Q. Not only necessarily this series but all the playoffs you've watched, do you feel the center is basically becoming extinct in the NBA?
COACH AVERY JOHNSON: Wow, that's a tricky question. I think the game is different. I wouldn't say necessarily a center. I think it's more of the power forward position, because right now you have a lot of quote, unquote, power forwards like Tim Duncan playing center now. Stoudemire playing center now. Now the guys that they're surrounding them with are smaller players. And in the pattern of Robert Horry. Here last year with Stoudemire playing center, you know you had just pretty much four shooters around him now.
I think it can be some attributed to the center spot, but now your power forwards are threes and the power forwards are now playing center. So I think it has more to do with both positions, the 4 and the 5.
Q. Does that change the way you think about putting together a team, building a team?
COACH AVERY JOHNSON: Absolutely. I think especially with the influx of talent coming in from overseas with a lot of the guys that are really good shooters, I think with the evolution now of the zone defenses and a lot of different things like that, I think the way we approach the draft, the way we approach free agency, and you can hear it now with a lot of teams that didn't make the playoffs that got knocked out early, talking about we need bigger forwards. Forwards that can shoot the basketball, and not much is being talked about, we need necessarily our center.
Q. Do you prefer that kind of game, Avery?
COACH AVERY JOHNSON: Right now, I don't know whether I prefer it or not. It's just where the game is. And I didn't prefer playing Dirk at center last year against Yao Ming, but that's what we needed to do and I think you just gotta be able to adjust. I think I came in wanting to play a certain way, but even some of the things I came in wanting to do you just can't do it, but you can still play defense, no matter who is out there on the floor.

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