Mavs-Celtics notes: Friendly rivals pace sidelines
Art Garcia | Mavs.com
Posted: March 20, 2008
The two coaches on opposite ends of the sideline Thursday are also close friends. It’s been that way for a long time for Avery Johnson and Doc Rivers.
“We’ve got a close friendship, always did from the time we played together in San Antonio,” Johnson said before the Mavericks-Celtics showdown. “We’ve kept in touch. We talk a lot about the craft of coaching. I would say he’s obviously one of my closer friends. We compete in a lot of ways.”
Rivers spent two seasons as Johnson’s backup at point guard in the mid-1990s. The Boston skipper said that being in separate conferences puts less strain on the friendship, adding sometimes they go weeks without talking and other times they may chat five straight days.
The Celtics were completely rebuilt during the offseason, with Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen coming aboard. Rivers likes the Jason Kidd pickup and the Mavs’ other recent changes.
“The additions they made are terrific, but I think doing it this time of year is difficult,” Rivers said.
Making it harder is the adjustment of Kidd being handed the keys to the offense. Rivers pointed out that while Devin Harris was a “one-man fastbreak,” Kidd’s influence is more widespread.
“Jason makes them a fastbreak team,” Rivers said. “In some ways that’s more dangerous.”
Cassell considered Dallas
Decked out Celtics gear, Sam Cassell has this to say
before the game: “If I wasn’t coming here, I was going to Dallas.”
A quick-witted reporter asked if Phoenix was also on the list? Cassell quickly
changed his tune, admitting the Suns were in the mix, along with a “couple of
places.”
Always a media favorite, Cassell is probably pulling the same act in each NBA city
that was after his services. But when it came to choosing Boston, he did say:
“It was an easy decision.”
The Mavs eventually filled their backup point guard need with Tyronn Lue.
Time to get mad
There’s not a coach out there who wants his team to play without emotion. But there’s also a fine line, one that applies to anger as well.
“I love anger, especially when it’s controlled,” Johnson said. “That’s what I loved about Stackhouse’s situation in that home game.”
Jerry Stackhouse avoided a possible confrontation with Indiana’s Danny Granger by keeping his composure and walking away from a potential fight. Stackhouse was mad, but he didn’t lose his head.
