On court and off, veteran point guard dutifully tends to his responsibilities

By Michael BeDan, News Staff Writer

Avery Johnson can play a little bit, too.
The Denver Nuggets point guard has been saddled with so much responsibility, it's easy to forget that he laces up his sneakers and plays basketball for a living.

He's a coach on and off the floor, a motivator, a spokesman, a leader and a locker room policeman. He's the guy who will help keep Isaiah Rider in line, the guy who will teach the Nuggets how to win on the road, the guy who will make power forward Antonio McDyess and starting point guard Nick Van Exel better players.