[/caption]In the Lakers march to the NBA finals, Phil Jackson, their coach, has been engaged in his usual psychological warfare with the opposing players on the teams he has faced, all in all, to curry favor with the referees. Before the Lakers played Oklahoma, Jackson said that the referees favored Kevin Durant, who just happened to be the Oklahoma Thunder’s best player. After the Lakers won, Coach Jackson then turned his attention to the next opponent, the Phoenix Suns best player and Point Guard, Steve Nash, accusing Nash of carrying the ball when he dribbles.
The Lakers won the series and now are in the NBA finals… about to play their long time nemesis, the Celtics for the championship. You guessed it, coach Jackson has singled out Kevin Garnett, the Celtics’ big man, accusing him of engaging in rough play. Not that Phil Jackson (The Zen master as he is called) needs any help; this is a coach who was born with the coaching platinum spoon in his mouth: first, he coached the greatest basketball player that ever lived, Michael Jordan, to six championships and is currently coaching one of the top five greatest to ever play the game, Kobe (Black Mamba) Bryant.
I am not going to be belittle what coach Jackson has done in his penchant for winning basketball championships, but it is what he was and is supposed to do with the talent he has been fortunate to coach (Michael, Shaq, and Kobe). I personally have more respect for the Houston Rockets coach, Gregg Popovich, because he has won championships with players with far less basketball pedigree than those Coach Jackson has coached or is still coaching.
Comparing Coach Jackson to others is like comparing Shaq to Allen Iverson; when Shaq scores, it is what he supposed to do - for God’s sake he is over seven feet tall. Iverson, on the hand, is barely six feet, yet in his heyday, night after night, Iverson slew giants… and taking a beating in the process without bitching. So when you compare Coach Jackson to others… bear in mind the caliber of players he has coached and continues to coach.
Before you write and complain about my take on the Lakers, Coach Jackson, or the Celtics, remember that I have no dogs in this fight. I am a Knick fan who is going to enjoy the series between the Lakers and Celtics; however, it is going to be fun watching the battle between Ron Artest and whomever he is going to guard.
In the meantime, I am pondering what it would be like for the Knicks to have Dwayne Wade, or moreover, LeBron James. By the way, Kevin Garnett should be proud that Coach Jackson picked him out, among his Celtics teammates, in Jackson’s attempt to engage in psy-warfare.
Come on... If you are going to compare Phil Jackson to Coach Pop, at least know what team Pop coaches. It is NOT the Houston Rockets.
ردحذفI also think Tim Duncan might be offended that he wasn't included in the list of great players being coached by a great coach. Pop didn't do it without talent. Just without flash.
Houston rockets coach.... right.
ردحذفI get the feeling somehow you don't know what youre talking about
UM WAS I THE ONLY ONE WHO CAUGHT THAT HE SAYS HE IS NOT GOING TO BE-LITTLE PHIL THEN GOES ON TO BE-LITTLE PHIL
ردحذفADDITIONALLY ITS KIND OF FUNNY HOW HE KNOWS THE TOPIC OF BASKETABALL SO WELL THAT HE THINKS GREGG POPOVICH COACHS FOR THE HOUSTON ROCKETS... LOL!!!
Gregg Popovich is the coach of the San Antonio Spurs, not the Houston Rockets.
ردحذف