Earlier today, New Orleans head coach Byron Scott officially was awarded the NBA's Coach of the Year trophy. This afternoon, hours before his Hornets tipped off a potential series-clinching game against the Mavericks, he was still, well, some would say on cloud nine.

"I'm still kind of in shock," Scott said. "I've got to give credit to the guys in the (locker room). I gave CP the keys to the engine. They've done all the work."

At least this morning he received the trophy in front of his players and media only. Tonight, before the game, he'll be given the trophy again.

His thoughts: "More embarrassed than anything," Scott said.

Wait, what? Embarrassed to get the Coach of the Year trophy?

"I'd rather just get it and say to the guys, 'I appreciate it,' " Scott said. "Then get the hell outta there."

Well, then. All right.

I think I'd like to get an award in front of 18,000 or so fans, most of them there to gleefully cheer on what I've done.

But here's the best statement from poor old Byron: "I've never thought of myself as a great coach. I'm more a people person."

Um, OK. but I've got to say, Scott, who is in his third year with the Hornets and sixth overall, ain't exactly a bad coach. He's got two Finals berths as well as a division title with a franchise that had never won one before.

He's doing OK for himself.

Of course, transition over to Dallas, and head coach Avery Johnson wishes it was two years ago. You know, when he won the coach of the year award himself.

The St Augustine grad is reportedly on the hot seat. Today he said his guys are focused

If you're a Mavericks fan, one would hope so. The series is, after all, 3-1 in favor of New Orleans. And you also might have heard this, a New Orleans victory seals the series.

"They know what's at stake," Johnson said. "For us, there's no tomorrow if we don't get it done tonight."

A reporter asked Johnson if his team had any pressure or if the pressure was on New Orleans.

I'll give you one guess as to who he said has the pressure.

if you guess he said New Orleans, well, you're partly right.

"We should play with some sort of pressure because if we don't paly well, the season's over," Johnson.

Winning at home would be great
New Orleans can clinch the series at home tonight with a win. And Julian Wright, a rookie, said it would great not necessarily for him alone, but for everyone.

"For everything this town has gone through the past couple of year, it'd be great for the city," Wright said.

Don't you just love Wright? It's not about him. Never has been. He's just looking out for us normal New Orleanians.

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