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So, Phil Jackson is on the brink of becoming the all-time leader in NBA championships... but there are many onlookers that would say that Jackson has only won 9 (about to be 10) NBA championships because of the great players he has coached - such superstars as MJ, Shaq, and Kobe. Jackson's coaching ability is extremely under-estimated to say the least.

What do we as Laker fans tell these uneducated basketball fans? I for one think that Jackson has won those championships because he not only knows how to manage the great talent on his teams, but he has also provides opportunity for the unsung players to make significant contributions - in other words, its not all about the star players.

Over his coaching career, Jackson's championship teams received big plays/shots from the non-superstar player that won games in the NBA Playoffs and Finals... Steve Kerr, B.J. Armstrong, John Paxson, Robert Horry, Derek Fisher to name a few. Without these guys it wouldn't have even reached nine championships.

All and all, Jackson will go down as the greatest NBA Jackson of all-time!!!

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=090612/phil

Name me a good coach who has won multiple rings without a superstar.

Celtics had KG, Pierce, Allen...

And I gotta say, Gasol pushed the Lakers into the Finals for the past two seasons. So its really MJ, Pippen, Shaq, Kobe, and Gasol.

Phil could have had another if Malone was healthy.

the best in the business. PERIOD.

NetsForce wrote:Name me a good coach who has won multiple rings without a superstar.

I never said he didn't need a superstar... every championship level team needs a go to guy, a "closer" if you will. I'm just making the point that on Jackson's teams its not all about the superstar. Other players have made significant contributions during his championship runs that helped him get to 9 NBA titles... Jackson is a master at developing a bench identity and giving the unsung players a chance to shine or make big plays... i.e. having Fisher take the big three (to tie the game last night) instead of Kobe. Not many coaches would go away from the superstar in a situation like that.

Sofa King wrote:Phil could have had another if Malone was healthy.

+1

I blame KG and Minny.

How many NBA championships have MJ/Pippen or Kobe/Shaq won before Phil coached them?

LA Titletown wrote:How many NBA championships have MJ/Pippen or Kobe/Shaq won before Phil coached them?

Exactly my point

Phil has helped make MJ, Shaq and Kobe to what they become. Coaching plays a huge part in player development. Do you think the Bulls and Lakers are paying Phil huge dollars for his dry humor and snarky remarks???

MJ, Pippen, Shaq, Kobe, Gasol all have one thing in common — Phil Jackson.

All the great coaches had great players and vice versa.

By the way, he already has ten, if you count the one he got as a player with the Knicks. His next one will be his personal number Eleven.

Greatest coach!

Other superstars/hall of famers/mvp's like iversion/tmac/bron/malone/stockton/melo/nash/barkley, all the skills and talent in the world cant win you a ring without a superior coaching staff.

Sofa King wrote:Celtics had KG, Pierce, Allen...

And I gotta say, Gasol pushed the Lakers into the Finals for the past two seasons. So its really MJ, Pippen, Shaq, Kobe, and Gasol.

Phil could have had another if Malone was healthy.

+1

Barkley won MVP and didn't get a chip, Ewing, Stockton and Pre-LA Malone anyone? Phil was a factor.

Yeah, Every championship team needs a superstar. What the hell are they talking about Phil? They're just jealous.

And Flip had KG and a premade championship team w/ 5 allstars

Sofa King wrote:Celtics had KG, Pierce, Allen...

And I gotta say, Gasol pushed the Lakers into the Finals for the past two seasons. So its really MJ, Pippen, Shaq, Kobe, and Gasol.

Phil could have had another if Malone was healthy.

Detroit would have beat us that year if Malone was 100% and Payton was on fire. They were that good and our bench was that WEAK.

Our 2nd string PF was Stanislav Medvedenko for gods sakes. We weren't that good that year and far too arrogant..