Mavs' Johnson selected coach of the year

DALLAS -- When Avery Johnson was an NBA point guard, many executives and players thought he'd make a great coach. How right they were.

Johnson was honored as the NBA's coach of the year Tuesday after leading the Mavericks to a 60-win season in his first full season as coach. That matched the team record for victories, first set three years ago when he played for the team.

While the 2002-03 team was known for its scoring, Johnson transformed the Mavericks into a defensive squad. Dallas ranked in the league's top 10 in scoring and points allowed, ranking higher in the defensive category.

After the Mavericks won 60 games in 2003, they didn't put Johnson on their playoff roster. Instead, he played the role of a player-coach during practices that postseason and sat with the coaching staff on the bench during games.

Johnson replaced Don Nelson as head coach on March 19, 2005, inheriting a club headed toward its fifth straight 50-win season. The Mavericks went 16-2 down the stretch and won their first-round playoff series against Houston.

-- AP