<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>"A message written on the grease board from Mavericks coach Avery Johnson greeted the Mavs in the locker room before the Nets game, the 10th since Jason Kidd's arrival. The message: No more excuses."</div> Source
Talk about ironic. If there's anyone who should be handed out that message, it's him. Avery has been laying out excuse after excuse. From his benching of Kidd to Dallas having no "D". Honestly now, what would have other coaches done with a player like Kidd? Phil Jackson? Gregg Poppovich? Jerry Sloan? It's been a habbit of waiting on for the "Avery Excuse" lately. A roster with Nowitski, Howard, Terry and with Kidd directing no less, you would exoect a team like this to have a little more consistency by now. So who's at fault here? The players? I really doubt that. Or Avery himself? Now there's something to think about. Avery has been known to be a control freak. And having a player like Kidd may have set an alarm to his ego. Being a point guard himself, the self proclaimed "leader" of the Spurs back then, may not take to kind to the idea of Kidd taking more control on the team than he would like to. He jokingly said that "Kidd thinks he is a better passer than me...", a statement I believe he meant. Juvenile? Yes. Far from the truth? No. A lot are asking for Avery's replacement. If so, it should already be done in preparation for the playoffs. Names of Wetphal and Van Gundy has been thrown. I'd go with either of them in a heartbeat. I think it would be a boost to the team. Avery seems to be holding his players talents against them. Time to take the cuffs off. The Mavs has a chance to win it all. And I truly believe that Avery is holding them back.
