Johnson Chosen Coach of Year

After his first full season leading the Dallas Mavericks, Avery Johnson was honored Tuesday as the NBA’s coach of the year.

Johnson led Dallas to 60 victories this season, matching the team record set three years ago when he was playing there.

“I think I’m gifted to do what I’m doing, that this is what I’m here for,” Johnson said. “I felt like a coach when I was a player.”

Johnson retired as a player and became a Maverick assistant coach before the 2004-05 season. After replacing Don Nelson as head coach on March 19, 2005, he reached 50 wins faster than any coach (62 games) and recorded the best start by a first-time coach in league history by winning 66 of his first 82 games. He is 76-24 overall.

Johnson got 63 first-place votes from the panel of 124 sports writers and broadcasters. He had 419 points, 172 more than Phoenix Coach Mike D’Antoni, last year’s winner.

Clipper Coach Mike Dunleavy finished fourth with 88 points, and Laker Coach Phil Jackson was seventh with 13.

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Violet Palmer became the first woman to referee a playoff game, working Game 2 of the Indiana-New Jersey series.

Palmer, a 41-year-old Los Angeles resident, is the only current female official in the NBA. She is in her ninth NBA season. Dee Kanter is the only other woman to referee an NBA game.