I have a question for all you Laker Haters out there. All of you seem to carry the same opinion about Jackson, that he is highly over-rated. I beg you to answer the following in DETAIL. The Lakers made it to the Playoffs countless times before Jackson's tenure, every time receiving an early departure. This team could not perform in the Playoffs reguardless who played for them. As i remember the only team they convincingly beat was Portland (in 5 games). The year before Jackson came Harris coached almost the exact team that exists now, yet they got swept in four games. Then comes coach Phil Jackson who has won 6 titles with the Bulls. Exactly why did the Lakers win a title that year and not before, and continue to win every title since while he coached? You can cry "REF" all you want about one game against portland, but that game didnt help the Lakers go 67-15 during the regular season and convincingly win every other game they played. So there is a reason out there. The addition of Glen Rice could not have been the factor as they won the next two titles without him. Is it so unbelievably hard to comprehend that maybe the Lakers started playing at this level because of the coaching from one Phil Jackson, a 6 time NBA champion coach? Choke on that for a little while.
Phil Jackson
- Thread starter Nitro GH
- Start date
Different players,and Kobe getting older.Simple as that.I think NBA coaches are to difficult to judge more so than any other sport,because in basketball,alot of the game situation is read and react.Phil does'nt yell to players on a 3 and 1 fast break,and tell them what to do.He does'nt tell anyone where a rebound is gonna be,or if it's long or short.Baseball,you can coach a pitcher every pitch on location,and whether it's a fastball or offspeed pitch,and the batter knows each pitch,whether it's a hit n run,or if he needs to bunt...etc.. Football,you have an assignment for each play,and you have an audible if there needs to be an adjustment.You are'nt gonna see a wide reciever change his route.Or a running back throw a pass,on a pitch play because he sees a reciever uncovered.To me,basketball coaches mostly coach at practice,other than that,it's mostly up to the point guard.Who's to say Phil Jackson is more knowledgable,or a better teacher than Greg Popovich?
Different players is one sure thing, but take a look at the different ones.
Harris (98-99)
Shaquille O'Neal
Kobe Bryant
Eddie Jones
Nick Van Exel
Dennis Rodman*
Jackson (99-00)
Shaquille O'Neal
Kobe Bryant
Rick Fox
Robert Horry
Ron Harper
Just look at those rosters, can you honestly say you wouldnt take what Harris had in a heartbeat? I feel you on the part about it being a little more difficult to coach during a basketball game. You have to take into consideration that it is the coaches job to get the team to play TOGETHER. Something i think Phil did brilliantly.
* They rotated this spot throughout the year.
Harris (98-99)
Shaquille O'Neal
Kobe Bryant
Eddie Jones
Nick Van Exel
Dennis Rodman*
Jackson (99-00)
Shaquille O'Neal
Kobe Bryant
Rick Fox
Robert Horry
Ron Harper
Just look at those rosters, can you honestly say you wouldnt take what Harris had in a heartbeat? I feel you on the part about it being a little more difficult to coach during a basketball game. You have to take into consideration that it is the coaches job to get the team to play TOGETHER. Something i think Phil did brilliantly.
* They rotated this spot throughout the year.
He is overrated because MJ won those 6 titles for him and Shag won the other 3 for him!! Sure he is a good coach, but not great!! He coached the greatest player of alltime and now the most dominate!! He just put it together better than Harris did, cause Harris is weak so ofcourse Jackson was an upgrade that made a difference!! But put him on anotha team like Seattle or Detroit or someone thats coo but not tight and he wouldnt win no titles!! GOT EM!!!
Phil wins because he always has 2 superstars and a few other step-up players. How hard could it have been to win with Jordan and Pippen on the team back then? Some NBA team has went soft since Jordan retired. So of course Phil will use Shaq to the best of his abilities since the league has no other dominant big man.
Ok if yall remember....when Collins was coachin the Bulls, each year the team went further! The first made it to the first round, then next year they made it to the 2nd round, then they made it to the east finals and lost to detroit and then they fired Collins!! Then Phil comes in and they go to the championship!! So how do we know that Collins wouldnt have did that?? Each year he went further and further, but then he got fired cause of expectations when they were 1 game away from the championship prior to firing him!! So that will explain that...and as far as Harris goes...he just plain sucks!! GOT EM!!!
So because he had good players on his team, he is over-rated? That isnt his fault. He took his team to title town year after year, what would he have to do in order not to be called the best coach ever. Go 82-0? You haters are constantly saying the Lakers suck, and look what he did with them. Every team in the NBA has good players, he as a coach, makes them great players. He must be a great coach to have all of his best players never want to play for another coach again. You have absolutely no proof that he is over-rated. All you say is that he had good players, thats not going to work.
Well first off the Triangle offense works so that's a plus in Phil's way...but after leaving Chicago...he didn't jump at every offer that was thrown at him, he waited until he found a team he knew could win with...
And after a team plays together for a long time, they develop team chemistry...the Lakers time was due when they won...
I would like to see Phil take on a last place team to see what he could do with them...Where as Adelman has developed Sacramento into a great team...Phil took over an already good team, instilled a new offense and made them better...
I give him props for winning nine titles...but he has been very fortunate with coaching star players...
And after a team plays together for a long time, they develop team chemistry...the Lakers time was due when they won...
I would like to see Phil take on a last place team to see what he could do with them...Where as Adelman has developed Sacramento into a great team...Phil took over an already good team, instilled a new offense and made them better...
I give him props for winning nine titles...but he has been very fortunate with coaching star players...
most all champion coachs are goin to have won with star players. its VERY hard to win a championship with average players.
I think Phil just knows how manage them superstar players. he is like Red Aurbach to me, good coach with the best players, but knows how to make it work an keep players in their places
I think Phil just knows how manage them superstar players. he is like Red Aurbach to me, good coach with the best players, but knows how to make it work an keep players in their places
If my memory serves me correctly, he didnt quit the team in search for a new coaching job. If he wanted more titles he would have stayed. The team fell apart as a direct result of him leaving, MJ left then Pippen and what have you. I believe he RETIRED, as in, he never wanted to coach again. Maybe the team went to him and said, we have a playoff contending team and we cant get them to win. Whatever it was, Jackson came in and won a title his first year, enough said.
The team that exists right now (Shaq,Kobe,Fox,Horry,Fisher) were only playing together for one year before Jackson came. Before that they had Nick Van Exel, Eddie Jones, Campbell.
Well is wasnt a last place team, but when Phil first came, he lead this Lakers team to its best regular season record in 28 years, and its first title in 11 years. Fuck coincidence.
The team that exists right now (Shaq,Kobe,Fox,Horry,Fisher) were only playing together for one year before Jackson came. Before that they had Nick Van Exel, Eddie Jones, Campbell.
Well is wasnt a last place team, but when Phil first came, he lead this Lakers team to its best regular season record in 28 years, and its first title in 11 years. Fuck coincidence.
I never said, he left to find a new job...but in the year that he took off...damn near every team in the league wanted him to coach there...Of course he didn't take the first offer, or even the most money...he went to a team he knew he could make champions...
While you take the time to disect my post, and try an qoute me...read it again, at any one time did I ever say anything negative about him...
Phil is a good coach, maybe in the top 5 or 10 off all time...but he has had the luxuary of coaching 4 (Jordan, Pippen, Shaq & Kobe) or more of greatest players the NBA has ever seen...
I wasnt trying to make you look bad or prove you wrong. I was just stating he left the Bulls because he didnt want to coach anymore, which is why he didnt take any offers. Then when he decided he wanted back in, who the hell wouldnt take the Lakers. I agree he has benefited from the Players, but I can name off plenty of teams now and in the past with great squads, that could never win. I think Phil Jackson right now could turn alot of teams today into playoff contenders.