Gambino

Surprised this hasn't been posted.
January 18, 2005
DALLAS (AP) -- Mavericks coach Don Nelson will have shoulder surgery Thursday and is expected to be out for three weeks.

Assistant Avery Johnson will run the team in his absence.

Nelson planned to work Tuesday night's game against the Washington Wizards; Johnson will be in charge starting Thursday night against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Dallas is in second place in the Southwest Division.

Nelson, 64, said an MRI exam showed his right rotator cuff is 90 percent torn.

Johnson, in his first season in transition from point guard to assistant, is Nelson's hand-picked successor. He's already run games as the head coach and will have longtime NBA coach Del Harris, another of Nelson's assistants, alongside for advice.

Nelson missed 21 games in the 2000-01 season because of prostate cancer. He left for two games the following season when his wife fought breast cancer.


Updated on Tuesday, Jan 18, 2005 5:26 pm EST

Thoughts?? Comments??

Gambino

667th post can't stay at the other number

Tersk

Well, we'll see what AJ can do here for a few games.

I'd like to see us totally dominate defensively and offensively, and have Nelson step down early.

But that said, hope the surgery is fine

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Mavs Dude

Good. This lets us see how Avery can run things since he is our future coach. I hope they let him do his thing and not have the Nelsons still have them play Don's style. I want to see Avery come up with things. He would focus on that D and would make the Mavs play team ball and have them hustle their butts off. I can't wait till he becomes head coach!!