Kind of a frustrating game (box score) last night, with Dallas unable to keep the lead in double digits and really close it out. I think the final two minutes of the game took about 25 minutes. I guess I shouldn't complain. Chicago only had the lead in the first minute, and there were some encouraging individual performances (Dirk, Howard, Bass, and Terry's second half).
Josh Howard was particularly good.
"Josh was a stud," coach Avery Johnson said. "In the first half, he scored an awful lot. But in the second half, they double-teamed him more and he made the correct passes. And they not only were on time, they were on target. He has the potential to do that every night. And he knew we needed to get a win."
------------------Avery isn't really asking much of the defense right now.
"Once we stop making duplicate mistakes -- the same exact play, 30 seconds later -- then we'll be OK," Johnson said. "We're just duplicating our mistakes too much and hopefully we can cut down on those errors."
--------------------Avery Johnson is saying Devin Harris will be ready for the Spurs game tomorrow.
Harris left the game with a contusion on the right side of his neck. X-Rays were negative, and Harris said it was too early to determine whether he will be able to play against the Spurs on Wednesday in San Antonio.
But Johnson seemed to have no doubts.
"He'll be ready to go," Johnson said. "He's fine."
With a neck injury, I'd still say it's wait and see.But Johnson seemed to have no doubts.
"He'll be ready to go," Johnson said. "He's fine."
------------------
Stackhouse asked Avery to sub him in earlier in games in hopes of getting back on track.
--------------------
Mike was amused by Sam Smith's article yesterday.
--------------------
This Day in Mavs History
1997 Named GM Don Nelson as head coach. Nelson would resign 3/19/05 as coach. Nelson would finished with a regular season record of 339-251 (.575) and a playoff record of 19-24 (.442) with Dallas.