AJ and MB know the feeling

Avery Johnson and Cavaliers coach Mike Brown have been on the short end of the last two NBA Finals. They also share San Antonio roots – Johnson played there and Brown was an assistant under Gregg Popovich – and a friendship.

The two had a chance to talk in Chicago at the NBA’s coaching meetings shortly after Cleveland lost to the Spurs.

“We know the feeling,” Johnson said. “We know the feeling of not being able to get it done.”

Brown was obviously down at the time, but Johnson had a way of picking up his spirits. Relaying the message Johnson had for him, Brown broke into a full-on impression complete with Johnson’s high-pitched Louisiana drawl: “I’d take going to the Finals and being swept 0-4 over not going to the playoffs any day.”