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SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- Damon Stoudamire says he wants more playing time, especially in the fourth quarter of this series. Really, now? Is he complaining because he thinks he can lead this team or is he complaining because HE wants to lead this team. Meanwhile Avery Johnson is quietly going about the business of leading his team toward that elusive goal of an NBA championship.
What has really struck me is the fact that Stoudamire has been spouting off at the mouth ever since this series began. He has dissed Avery, saying that Avery will never lead his team to a championship. He has basically disavowed what Sean Elliott did on Memorial Day. He has said that the games they have played against the Spurs have been tight, lucky wins that the Spurs always gets. Well to quote one Wil Perdue: "Sometimes I'd rather be lucky than good." What Stoudamire has done is begin an alienation process at the wrong time. This is no the time or place to complain about playing time. His team is down 3-0 and on the verge of being ran out the series if his head isn't on straight. The Trailblazers need him to continue and play well like he did in game two. If he deters off of that plan even minutely, their season is all but finished.
And yet that is probably why the Spurs will win; not because of Damon's rantings but because their general is quietly leading them.
"I'm 34 years old with two kids, I don't have time for foolishness," Avery said on a recent television interview.
He's serious about this conquest. Avery jokes but when it's business, he's all business. He doesn't care what someone says about him or his team. He lets his play do all the talking.
Avery's learned that over his 11 year career. Coming out of Southern University 1988, he wasn't even drafted. He was bounced from team to team and even the Spurs sent him packing a couple of times. Yet they also realized that they needed a calming force. When Gregg Popovich came back as GM, he brought Avery back.
So maybe Damon needs to take some time and reflect on his good fortune and maybe he'll understand why Avery wants this title more. The desire is there for Avery and it's that desire that might push the Spurs over the top.
By Gregory Moore
