Avery Johnson

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Johnson's time with the Dallas Mavericks began on the bench during the 2001–02 season after being traded from the Golden State Warriors. He played 17 games as a reserve before returning in the 2002–03 season, appearing in 48 more games. His transition to coaching happened quickly; he was hired as an assistant under Don Nelson on October 28, 2004, having previously played under Nelson from 1993–1994 and 2002–2003. Five months later, on March 19, 2005, he became head coach after Nelson resigned. Under Johnson, the Mavericks closed the 2004–05 season with a 16–2 run and won their first playoff series against the Houston Rockets. In the 2005–06 season, Johnson made history by winning his first two months as a head coach (April 2005 and November 2005), becoming the fastest coach to reach 50 wins with a 50–12 record on January 28, 2006. He was named NBA Coach of the Year for 2006 after leading the team to the franchise's first-ever NBA Finals appearance, where they lost to the Miami Heat in six games.

In Their Own Story

The defining moment of Avery Johnson's coaching career arrived in June 2006. After defeating the Memphis Grizzlies, the defending champion San Antonio Spurs, and the Phoenix Suns in the first three rounds of the playoffs, Johnson led the Mavericks to their first NBA Finals. The team had entered the playoffs as the fourth seed despite holding the second-best record in the Western Conference. Although they won the first two games against the Miami Heat, the Mavericks lost four straight to finish the series 2–4. On December 31, 2006, Johnson achieved another milestone by becoming the fastest head coach at that time to win 100 games when his squad defeated the Denver Nuggets. However, the following season proved difficult; despite securing the best record in the NBA with 67 wins and entering as the top seed, the Mavericks suffered a historic upset in the first round against the eighth-seeded Golden State Warriors led by former coach Don Nelson. After another first-round exit in 2008, Johnson was dismissed on April 30, 2008, and replaced by Rick Carlisle.

Reader's Guide

Avery Johnson's connection to the Dallas Mavericks spans two distinct eras: his playing days as a reserve guard and his tenure as head coach. He first joined the team in February 2002 via a trade from the Golden State Warriors, playing 17 games that season and 48 more in 2002–03 before ending his NBA career with the Warriors in 2003–04. His coaching path began on October 28, 2004, when he signed as an assistant under Don Nelson, a coach he had played for previously. Recognized early as a future leader, Johnson was promoted to head coach on March 19, 2005. His immediate success included winning NBA Coach of the Month in April 2005 and again in November 2005, making him the first coach to win the award in his first two months. He reached 50 wins faster than any other coach in history (at the time) by January 28, 2006, and was named 2006 NBA Coach of the Year. His team reached the 2006 NBA Finals, marking a franchise milestone, though they fell to Miami. Johnson continued to set records, becoming the fastest coach to reach 150 wins on November 18, 2007. Despite the 67-win regular season in 2006–07, the team's playoff exits against Golden State and Memphis led to his dismissal on April 30, 2008.

Did You Know?

• Johnson became the first NBA coach to win Coach of the Month in his first two months as a head coach (April 2005 and November 2005).
• He led the Mavericks to their first-ever NBA Finals appearance in June 2006.
• On December 31, 2006, Johnson became the fastest head coach at that time to win 100 games.
• Johnson was named the April 2005 NBA Coach of the Month only one month after becoming a head coach for the first time.