NBA Finals News -- Mavs coach to present achievement award
By Homer D. Sayson
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 20 Jun 2012
Rick Carlisle.
MIAMI -- Dallas Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle, the president of the NBA Coaches Association, is here in the NBA Finals to present the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achieve Award.
The winner will be announced shortly before Game 4 tips-off. Past winners of the fourth annual award include Tom Heinsohn, 2009, Jack Ramsay and Tex Winter, 2010 and Lenny Wilkens, 2011.
Meanwhile, Russell Westbrook continues to deflect questions on whether he was disappointed that Oklahoma Thunder head coach Scott Brooks pulled him to the bench alongside foul-troubled teammate Kevin Durant in the third quarter of Game 3 last Sunday night.
"You know, it was tough. We had a nice little lead going into the fourth quarter. Wasn't really too much I could do about it, nor Kevin. Kevin had five fouls at the time. But it was coach's decision. You have to live with it. Don't have too many conversations of coming back into the game, just kind of just waited and seeing when I get called to go back in," Westbrook told reporters during a media availability session.
Westbrook went on to say, "The coach makes the decisions. He's been making them all season. So I just rolled with it."
Durant did not dwell on his third quarter benching, but he did offer the following template for OKC to win Tuesday night's Game 4, knot the series at 2-2, and regain homecourt advantage in these Finals.
"We just need to move the ball better. This team, they trap a lot and bring shooters in the corners and leave guys open, so we've got to make those passes. Easier said than done, though. They do a great job of using their hands and making it tough on the passer. We've just got to make sure we make strong, on-target passes to the right spot, and we've got to rely on the shooter to finish it. We've just got to continue to do a better job."
Through three games of these Finals, Durant is averaging 31 points per while Westbrook is pulling in 24.5. Both stars need to bring their A-game for the Thunder to avoid a 3-1 hole. (Homer D. Sayson)
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