NEW YORK - Avery Johnson of the Dallas Mavericks was named NBA coach of the year on Tuesday, in his first full season in charge.

Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade (3) blocks a shot by Chicago Bulls' Ben Gordon (9) during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball first-round playoff game in Miami Monday, April 24, 2006. [Reuters]

After 16 seasons as a player winning an NBA championship ring with the San Antonio Spurs in 1999, Johnson retired in 2004 and has made a seamless transition to the coaching ranks, guiding the Mavericks to a franchise record-equaling 60 wins.

Johnson received 63 first-place votes and 419 points to lift the honor ahead of last year's winner Mike D'Antoni of the Phoenix Suns, who was a distant runner-up with 247 points.

Detroit Pistons' Flip Saunders was third with 223 points.

Johnson took over the Mavericks from Don Nelson in March, 2005 and immediately put an emphasis on defense, the team holding opponents to a franchise-low 93.1 points per game this season.

The Mavericks finished the campaign with the league's third best record of a 60-22 and a home mark of 34-7, tying the Spurs for the best home record in the Western Conference.

Dallas lead their best-of-seven Western Conference quarter-final against the Memphis Grizzlies 1-0, with game two scheduled for Wednesday.

Johnson averaged 8.4 points, 5.5 assists, 1.7 rebounds and 25.3 minutes in 1,054 NBA games, spending the majority of his career (1992-2001) with the Spurs where he remains the team's all-time assists leader.