http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/...ok.aa8979a.html

Web Posted: 04/26/2006 01:24 AM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer

Avery Johnson was named the NBA's Coach of the Year on Tuesday, and one of his former mentors couldn't be happier.

"I'm thrilled to observe Avery's success because he's been many things to me," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "He's been a great friend, a great player, and he's obviously established himself as somebody who can coach the game.

"To watch his progress over this short year and a half is just amazing."

Johnson was one of the first players Popovich signed after he took over as general manager in 1994. He played under Popovich from 1996-2001 and hit the shot to clinch the Spurs' first championship in 1999.

Popovich used to call Johnson his "coach on the floor" and never had any doubt he would make a successful transition to the bench. Johnson took over as Dallas' coach late last season after Don Nelson resigned.

"His love of the game over the years was exhibited by what he gained from each coach he played for and every player he played with or against," said Popovich, who finished sixth in the Coach of the Year balloting. "He has a natural affinity for the game. He understands how the game works, he understands what wins, he understands what's fluff and what should be ignored.

"He also has the persistence and the mental toughness to drag a team his way, to have them do what he thinks is best. He won't give up. If somebody else doesn't buy in, they'll have to figure out what to do."

Popovich and Johnson remain close and talk frequently. So how did Johnson thank his friend?

"Nellie was tremendous in helping lay the foundation for me. I learned a tremendous amount from him," Johnson said. "And the coach down south, who's one of the sorriest coaches in basketball, I worked with him, too."

Old man and the rim: Tim Duncan turned 30 on Tuesday, and at least one of his teammates thinks the days of shuffleboard and prune juice can't be far ahead.

"He's the same age as Eva (Longoria)," Tony Parker said. "That's old."

Rookie guard Melvin Sanders brought Duncan cupcakes and other treats at the Spurs' morning shootaround and sang "Happy Birthday" to him.

"He's trying to get an extended contract, so he figured the best way to do that was to be Timmy's best friend," Popovich said. "So he actually baked for him. We told him it was sad and almost depraved to watch the extent to which he would suck up for a contract. He has no pride whatsoever."

Mohammed's rare 3-pointer: Nazr Mohammed made the second 3-pointer of his career near the end of Saturday's game. After the piercing rebuke it earned him from Popovich, it also may be the last one he takes.

"I think it will most likely be a cold day in hell before Nazr shoots another three," Popovich said. "That's just a guess."

Kings pick up Artest slack: The absence of Ron Artest didn't only mean other Kings players had increased responsibilities. Bonzi Wells said the impact was felt all the way down the Sacramento bench.

"Coach (Rick Adelman) even has to pick it up," Wells said, "because Ron is like a coach on the floor."

Artest's one-game suspension will cost him $62,201 in salary.

Officially clean: After Spurs point guard Tony Parker was upended by Sacramento's Jason Hart, landing hard on the court with 3:54 remaining in the first quarter, veteran referee Dick Bavetta directed the ball boys to spend extra time to clean moisture off the floor in several areas, clearly a move designed to give Parker time to catch his breath.

Punking Jalen: Knicks guard Jalen Rose worked the game as a sideline reporter for the TNT television network.

While Rose was doing a live report during a timeout on the baseline next to the Spurs' bench, one of the Spurs threw a towel at him from behind, draping it perfectly over Rose's head. Rose reached up and removed the towel without missing a word of his report.

"I know it was Nick," Rose said, accusing Spurs veteran guard Nick Van Exe

Popovich赞小牛队主教练Johnson

周二，Avery Johnson被选为NBA年度最佳教练，他之前的一个指导老师高兴极了。

“看到他拿奖，我兴奋极了。他跟我学了不少东西。”马刺主教练Gregg Popovich说，“他是个很不错的球员很不错的朋友，明显他已经能够胜任教练这个职位了。”

“在短短的一年半的时间能够如此进步，另人惊叹。”

Johnson是Popovich在1994年成为马刺主管后签下的第一批球员。他在Popovich手下打了5年球（1996-2001），而且在1999年投中关键球帮助马刺夺冠。

Popovich曾经把Johnson称作“球场上的教练”（coach on the floor）,一直相信他能够作出正确的人员调换。Johnson于上个赛季后半段接替辞职的Don Nelson成为小牛队主教练。

“他对比赛的热情展现无疑，这些年他从每一个效力过的教练和接触过的球员身上学到了很多东西。”Popovich说，“他天生就是教练的料：了解比赛进展是如何一回事；如何才能赢球；赛场中孰重孰轻。”Popovich在这里投票里名列第六。

“当然，他很坚强，能够以他的方式来带队--让球员去按照他认为最棒的方式打球。他不会放弃。如果有人不买帐，那些人最终会知道应当如何去做的。”

现在,Popovich和Johnson还很亲密，经常谈谈话什么的。那么，Johnson是如何致谢老朋友的呢？

“Nellie给我打下了相当好的基础，我从她那学到相当多的知识，”Johnson说道，“扼...往南走那个教练--篮球界最抱歉教练之一，我也曾经跟他共事。”

老人和篮筐：周二过后Tim Duncan就三十岁了，有队友会想到他“玩推盘游戏”，“修剪果树”的日子不会太远了。

“他和Eva一样大，”Tony Parker说道，“这是所谓的老。”

新秀后卫Melvin Sanders给Duncan带来了糕点（cupcakes）另外在马刺上午投篮训练时集体给他送上了生日之歌。

“因为想获得长期合同，他想到最好的办法就是成为Timmy的好友，”Popovich说，“所以他准备了糕点。我们跟他说这样做另人感到遗憾，甚至有些卑劣。用讨好的办法想去获取合同，他没有自尊可言。”

Mohammed罕见的三分:在周六比赛结束前，Nazr Mohammed投中了他职业生涯的第二个三分。被Popovich痛斥一顿后，这很有可能是他的最后一个三分。

“在Nazr投中那个三分之前，我想那感觉就象炎热地狱里的清爽天。”Popovich说，“他那个三分完全是蒙的。”

国王斥责Artest:Ron Artest的缺阵不仅仅意味着其他人肩上的担子更重了。Bonzi Wells说这影响从主力一路传染到国王的替补群。

“甚至教练（Rick Adelman ）担子都加重了，”Wells说，“因为Ron在场上承担教练的责任。”

Artest这场禁赛将会让他失去$62,201的薪水。

官方清洁：在第一节还剩3分54秒的时候，马刺的组织后卫Tony Parker被国王的Jason Hart撞翻重重地摔在地上，之后，老练的裁判Dick Bavetta把球童喊过来清理地板--显然这是设计好的--给Parker些时间来喘口气。

捉弄Jalen:尼克斯后卫Jalen Rose作为TNT的报道员出现在场边。

当坐在马刺替补席旁边的Rose正趁着暂停的进行一个现场采访的时候，一个马刺球员从后面向他丢去一条手巾，结果直接把Rose头整个遮住。Rose伸出手把手巾扯掉继续他的报道。

“我知道那肯定是Nick,”Rose揭发马刺的老油条Nick Van Exel.