Avery Johnson was interviewed by Randy Galloway on ESPN radio today and he explained his decision to leave Jason Kidd on the bench for the last 34 seconds last night. He said he wanted to get Dirk isolated on Tony Parker, who's a foot shorter, and did that twice.
But even though Avery sounded as though he was on an even keel for most of the interview, he blamed some of the problem not on the fact that he left Kidd on the bench, but on the people who commented on it.
“The other problem is what I call poisonous journalism, ‘cause now it’s ‘Well, is the coach really confident in Kidd?' Johnson said. "It’s poisonous journalism and it tries to poison the people. That’s what I’m really disappointed in.”
Poisonous to report the facts and disagree with them? That's a stretch. Avery would have been better off simply saying: You know what? We got the shots we wanted last night with Dirk on Parker, but looking back at it, I probably should have had Kidd on the floor. It won't happen again."
And it would be over. Instead, it will again generate big coverage in the morning.
-- Jan Hubbard
of course, because avery is NEVER wrong.
Posted by: kane | February 29, 2008 at 06:37 PM
The only thing poisonous is the drink I poured myself after I saw Devin Harris' game last night.
Posted by: Captain Midnight | February 29, 2008 at 07:03 PM
Seriously, Avery cannot be this stupid. First he made a dumb mistake, and now he has the audacity to blame everyone and everything but himself.
Leadership starts at the top, Avery. Practice what you preach for once.
Posted by: Sam | March 02, 2008 at 12:34 AM