Dallas Mavericks fire coach Avery Johnson

The Dallas Mavericks fire coach Avery Johnson The Dallas Mavericks fired coach Avery Johnson on Wednesday, making him the fourth victim amongst the NBA coaches during the playoffs. Just hours after we told you that the online bookmaker BetUS has posted odds on which NBA coach will get fired next, it happened and the Mavericks released coach Avery Johnson, who was listed with odds 3/1 (favorite to get fired first was Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni at 2/1). "It is never easy to relieve a coach of his duties, especially one of Avery's caliber. He is a talented coach and I want to thank him for his efforts over the last four years and what he has done for this franchise," Mavs owner Mark Cuban said in a statement after sacking the coach.

After losing the playoffs last night the Dallas Mavericks are in a 3-12 postseason tailspin since they held a 2-0 lead on Miami in the NBA finals 22 months ago, a record bad enough for Cuban to fire Avery Johnson. Johnson became Mavs coach during the 2004-05 season and ends with a 194-70 record (.735). But his teams were only 23-24 in the playoffs. Avery Johnson became the fastest coach in NBA history to record 50 wins, achieving the feat in just 62 games. Dallas finished the 2005-06 season with a 60-22 record, earning Johnson the NBA Coach of the Year Award.

Published on 04/30/2008