That didn't take long.
The Brooklyn Nets fired coach Avery Johnson on Thursday, 10 days after point guard Deron Williams leveled pointed criticisms at the coach's offense and said he preferred the system he ran in Utah under Jerry Sloan. The move comes just 24 days after Johnson was named the Eastern Conference Coach of the Month. However, the Nets have lost nine of their last 12 games, including a 92-90 loss to the Jazz on Dec. 18 at Barclays Center.
According to reports, former Portland, Golden State and Seattle coach P.J. Carlesimo, a Nets' assistant, will replace Johnson on an interim basis.
Williams has been widely blamed for the sudden 2011 departure of Jazz coach Jerry Sloan, who Williams also criticized publicly. It stands to reason that fingers will once again be pointed at Williams, who has struggled since the Jazz traded him to the then-New Jersey Nets just days after Sloan's departure.
In his third season with the Nets, Johnson 60-116. In his career, which includes three-plus seasons with the Dallas Mavericks, Johnson accumulated a 254-186 record.
— Bill Oram
