Extra rest for Dallas Mavericks' starters hinges on reserves
Johnson still fuming over defensive ineffectiveness by Bass, Diop
01:04 AM CST on Wednesday, December 12, 2007
By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News
esefko@dallasnews.com
TORONTO – The double-edged sword is swinging again.
Avery Johnson wishes he could put it back in the sheath, but right now, he can't. So he will continue using a short playing rotation because of injuries and ineffective play, while possibly compromising the future to make December flow more smoothly.
Johnson made it clear after Tuesday's practice at Air Canada Centre that he's unwilling to give Dirk Nowitzki, Josh Howard, Jerry Stackhouse and his dual point guards extra rest if it means sacrificing games because the support personnel either can't or won't play at a high enough level.
"It's hard, but now is not the time," Johnson said. "Until we can get Eddie Jones and [Devean] George back, and until I can get Brandon Bass and [DeSagana] Diop to defend the paint better, I'm not going to get rest for anybody.
"We had a 20-point lead and they [Bass and Diop] allowed 10 or 12 points in the paint in a three-minute stretch. So until we can get them to defend the paint better when they get in the game – and rebound and bring energy, which they are supposed to do – until we can get them to do that, until we can get some consistency, we're going to have to keep those guys with a short rotation."
By Johnson's count, the Mavericks are two or three wins below what they expected.
What sets him off – and he was still boiling about it nearly 24 hours later – are games like Monday's in New York, when the Mavericks were up by 23 points in the third quarter but had to keep their key players on the court far too long because reserves coughed up a big chunk of the lead.
Diop and Bass were on the floor at the end of the third quarter when the Knicks scored 10 points in the final 2:33 to knock the Mavericks' lead down to 79-63. All of the points came on layups or free throws.
"They got to understand their responsibility to the team," Johnson said of Bass and Diop. "They let the whole team down. You can't do that. I can't run a drill for you to protect the paint. That's willpower. That's toughness, mentally and physically."
Any plan to give Nowitzki, Howard and Stackhouse the fourth quarter off evaporated. A lead of more than 20 points is virtually a certain victory. But from 16 points down, many an NBA team has come back in the fourth quarter. Howard played 42 minutes, Nowitzki 39 and Stackhouse 31. If that workload persists, it will catch up with those players.
Johnson may get some help back tonight. Jones has been upgraded to day-to-day and could see his first action in a month. George is slowly rounding into shape.
But it's the lack of success of Diop and Bass that must improve if the Mavericks are to get back to their preferred regular-season rotation of going 10 players deep.
Until that happens, the Mavericks could run the risk of repeating last year's gaffe, in which they overextended players in the season and had nothing left in the playoffs.
Bass and Diop both said they have gotten the message and are clear on their primary responsibility.
"No easy catches, that's the main thing," Bass said. "Last night, Eddy Curry and Doug Lee got some catches, and he doesn't want it to be so easy. He doesn't want me and Gana to let anybody score in the paint."
Added Diop: "Third quarter, we didn't do a good job, me and Bass. We made a lot of mistakes, and they made a run on us."
AP
Avery Johnson was upset with the interior defense of Brandon Bass (left) and DeSagana Diop (not pictured) vs. the Knicks.
Johnson rarely calls out players publicly. When he does, it's a clear sign the situation has reached a serious point.
"You can't take it personally," Bass said. "He's trying to better the team."
Stackhouse has watched Johnson try to juggle minutes and rest for the last two seasons and understands why it's so tough.
"It's a balancing act," he said. "You want to be on the court playing, but ultimately, we need to build our depth with some guys getting some quality minutes on the floor.
"It was a perfect opportunity last night. But you know how it is. In close games, Avery's going to go with the guys he trusts."
