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there has always been a maddening stigma on Phil Jackson that he could not really coach because he always inherited great teams so all he had to do was hold their hand to a championship. I know that he has not yet won a championship since he came to LA the second time around, but would you say that he has silenced his critics on this respect? or does he still has something to prove?

Well, this current team is simply STACKED, even though thats not how he aquired it.

Regardless, you gotta praise the man and his staff for what theyve done with the demeanor of this team. From the nearly perfect rotations to the defensive "soft zone" strategies theyre implementing.

Nine championships speak for themselves.

Anybody who thinks Phil's just been rolling out the balls for these teams hasn't been paying attention. At the very least, he deserves the utmost respect for managing some of the biggest egos the game has ever seen -- Mike, Kobe, Shaq -- and negotiating an inter-squad feud that would have overwhelmed all but a few coaches in history.

I'd take that any day over someone like Larry Brown, who is probably a better pure tactician but has worn out his welcome at every job he's ever had. Besides, how many coaches in history have won consistently without an abundance of talent?

Great point too, by kno, about our improvement on defense. From our improved effort to the new strategies that we've implemented, that is all coaching.

DP

Kno wrote:Well, this current team is simply STACKED, even though thats not how he aquired it.

Regardless, you gotta praise the man and his staff for what theyve done with the demeanor of this team. From the nearly perfect rotations to the defensive "soft zone" strategies theyre implementing.

other than Fisher, Pau, Ariza and + or - a scrub. the team hasn't really changed much. I think he has silenced his critics in that reguard because he practically started with Bynum, Sasha, Mihm, Kobe, Lamar, Farmar, Walton and Radman. now most of those guys are considered a big part of that "STACK".

oblongata

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The criticism will always be there but he did develop a core in Kobe/Lamar/Farmar/Bynum and has taken it forward since then with some smart acquisitions and of course the big fish in Pau Gasol.

For this, Phil deserves credit for keeping the team competitive when he had arguably no talent outside of Kobe and LO and then being patient enough to let the pieces fall together. Not all coaches can win a championship with talented teams. Flip Saunders, D' Antoni and Avery Johnson come to mind immediately. I think Phil has always demanded respect out of his players and he has imprinted his offensive principles on every team he has taken over and of course his success with 9 championships speaks volumes about the winning mentality he has carried with him everywhere he's coached.

I think leaving a legacy of the most rings over Red is what Phil would like to do, but isn't what drives him. But still, comparing them due to different eras and hell Red's teams were not just a bunch of losers either and he's considered one of the great coaches too.

I remember hearing an interview with him on 570 that he comes back because of a lot of his friends relying on him for a job and the owner, Buss, asking for him to be back.

Phil Jackson has stepped up, from what I've seen on paper and on the court.

The Lakers' roster has rised as well.


Btw snaq, Ablangatta? o_O

What does that mean?

PJ has given PT to all the rookies and watched them grow, learn how to handle certain situations, learn how to deal with pressure

you can see how some players have visibly improved under his reign here

Verbal wrote:Phil Jackson has stepped up, from what I've seen on paper and on the court.

The Lakers' roster has rised as well.


Btw snaq, Ablangatta? o_O

What does that mean?

I was going for a word play and I was thinking about an old Police album that I have been listening to, but I guess it didn't work.

Does not matter if he has not won one the second time around. We were in the finals, won the west, did things we were not supposed to do. That is more important than to say he has not done it the 2nd time. Winning the west was the real test and I bet it wore us down a little.

I think PJ silenced his critics when he took the team to the playoffs the first 2 seasons back. He proved than that he can get players not many teams around the legue wanted and made them play better. Granted having Kobe go on the scoring frenzies like he did help but he also challenged the other players and it made them respond with better play.

Without a doubt he's proved it. when he came back to the Lakers this team was in total disarray. Most coaches could not have gotten that team the playoffs & poor Rudy couldn't even make it through the season. If Phil doesn't get the credit now its just hateraid.