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NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: SUNS v MAVERICKS

May 30, 2006

Avery Johnson

PHOENIX, ARIZONA: Game Four

COACH AVERY JOHNSON: Well, tonight obviously this was a very disappointing loss for us. We just didn't have it. They had more energy. They got to more loose balls. They played more of a complete game.
And we just didn't have it. We were not there mentally or physically. Don't know what it is. But, again, you know, we came down here and we were fortunate enough to get Game 3. We're still in good shape. We'll go home, take a look at the films, see what we can correct.
Barbosa had an outstanding game tonight. He really gave them a big lift. And I probably guess Raja Bell gave them an emotional lift.
So this wasn't a best Mavericks team. We didn't shoot the ball well in Game 3, and we're still fortunate enough to win because our defense was so good. But we didn't shoot the ball well tonight. Our defense wasn't very good. So hopefully we can come back.
We're going home now, have a better defensive effort, have a better offensive effort, put more of a complete game together because we haven't done that yet in this series.
Q. How surprised were you that Bell played and do you think there was maybe some gamesmanship going on there?
COACH AVERY JOHNSON: No, we're always prepared. We just take it up to the last minute. You know, we go both ways. We're prepared if he's in there, if he's not in there. But his, you know -- his 30 minutes obviously was a big emotional lift for him. So hopefully now that we know he's playing, you know, we'll be much more ready to play.
Q. Coach, Dirk tonight -- and it's been a long time since he's had an off night. Was it just a bad night for him? Were they doing something against him?
COACH AVERY JOHNSON: Yeah, bad night for him. You know, they did a good job of contesting all of his shots. They did a good job, you know, of really playing him physical. And he just couldn't get anything to fall. And so hopefully the next game, you know, he'll do a better job of, you know, making harder drives and hopefully, you know, get to the free throw line.
Q. Avery, seems like it's been a long time since you guys have had a game like this. Was it a matter of concentration in the second half when they kind of pulled away?
COACH AVERY JOHNSON: Well, you know, we haven't had a game like this. You know, Game 1 of this series wasn't very good. And now we're here. So, again, no excuses. You know, I can point to a lot of different things that was very disgraceful about the game, but we lost.
Q. Coach, how was Josh, took a nasty spill?
COACH AVERY JOHNSON: Josh is fine. Josh is fine. You know, he came down, had two people hanging all over him, and he just came down wrong, but he'll be fine. He'll be ready to go.
Q. Avery, the way the second quarter was going seemed similar to the last game, seemed like you got down double figures, you pulled it back in. Are you thinking -- what's the thinking at half time going out, that you have the edge?
COACH AVERY JOHNSON: I don't think you have the edge. I think, you know, playing against the Suns, when you're down by five or whatever, you know, it can turn into 15 really quick or you can get up by ten.
So I just think the swings of the game, it can go either way. But we had a bad third quarter compared to the last game, and they made their shots tonight. You know, we don't play very well when teams shoot over 50% from the field on us.
Q. Coach, the turnovers, there were a couple earlies, was it just one of those things that can kind of snowball, did it snowball tonight?
COACH AVERY JOHNSON: Compared to last game we only had five turnovers and we turned it over more tonight, and you know you turn it over. You put yourself at a big disadvantage.
We're a team that normally takes care of the ball. We've proven that. But, you know, on top of it, you know, we had 14 turnovers, shoot 41% from the field, 30% from the 3. We still win the rebound game. But, again, we have some things that we have to correct.
We will. It's 2-2. It could easily have been 3-1 either way. But, again, this is a tough series. That's why it's a seven-game series.
Q. You mentioned you had a bad third quarter. What was the difference that stretch at the end of the third quarter and the beginning of the fourth quarter, what wasn't working for you?
COACH AVERY JOHNSON: Nothing was working at that point. We just -- we just didn't have that focus. You know, we had two of our guys, we shot two air balls tonight on rhythm shots. That's not a good sign. So we'll keep getting those guys those same shots. Hopefully they'll knock 'em down. And, you know, we'll have some better offense here.
Q. Coach, did you know Cassandra got into a little confrontation during the game?
COACH AVERY JOHNSON: I heard something went on. But we've been in situations before on the road, you know, our owners, you know, Mark's wife has had problems, my wife. Our President. You know, when you're on the road, you know things happen. People throw stuff at you. So we'll see what happened. I hadn't really talked to her yet.
Q. It looked like in the previous couple of games you were able to run them off their shots a bit more. Are they just stepping in on them? Did they do something different or are you finishing the same way?
COACH AVERY JOHNSON: Yeah, I think again Barbosa was the key. He had his inside and outside game going tonight. You know, he made four threes and he shot 10 for 15 from the field, and when he penetrated us, even when he missed two or three shots that he missed, they were there trying to get rebounds on us.
So his penetration, his inside game, outside game, really hurt us. Nash got in between us a little bit too much tonight. So I think they had it going the inside and outside game tonight.

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