Phil Jackson has lost his last five finals games

[Joyeuse]

Outside of Garnett and a little bit of Allen in the first half, really none of the celtics got it done. The Lakers really had control of that game until Pierce went down and came back. And this was with a struggling Kobe, but we'll just have to see as the series goes on.

Control of the game? I mean, sure, they went on a 6-0 run to grab a four-point lead before Pierce left with an injury, but that's not exactly a commanding grip on the game. And that stretch where the Lakers held a lead prior to Pierce coming out and up to the quick comeback by Rondo and Allen while Pierce was out took place over a two-minute stretch. Neither team had control of that game until the Celtics were up by about six or so at the end of the game, and it wasn't because they started playing better; it was because they held the lead while running down the clock (important in and of itself, though, of course).

I'm just saying, except for a Pierce injury that could have been disastrous, the Celtics never looked in any horrible danger of letting the game slip out of hand. The Lakers NEVER took a commanding lead in that game and the Celtics had the lead for the majority of the game. It was very clear both teams were in the game right up until the end. It wasn't as if the Celtics had some sort of miraculous comeback, and neither team went on a huge run at any point in the game. It was a pretty back-and-forth, balanced game.

[Iggyemu]

Phil is due I guess then.

[Mapelgleaf]

Lost 4 of 5.... but uhh... has 9 rings.

This thread sounds like sour grapes from someone who knows PJax is gonna have more rings than Red Auerbach (if not this year, eventually).

And this is is coming from someone who wants to see the Celtics take it (though I do like the Lakers a lot this year too).

[M.Balla]

Phil Jackson is a GREAT coach, and he hasn't lost his touch yet.

IMO, the blame right now mainly goes to the players for not being tough enough and don't man up (unless on the road) to this Celtics team.
A little blame to PJ too (nobody's perfect) for that Vlad-Pierce matchup, but I don't know which options he has (unless he puts Kobe on PP)

I would try Odom on Pierce and Gasol on Garnett and Perkins on Radmanovic (hoping that Rivers and Rondo don't figure it out, which is quite possibly) or even Turiaf on Perkins.

There's a lot of talk about Bynum (and more after the Powe rape) but IMO Ariza's injury is more important because he's the only one player in that roster (outside of Kobe, and you don't want KB24 chasing around Pierce) that can defende Pierce, and he could do a hell of a job, and he could fit right in.

It's obvious there's a matchup problem, and sometimes you just can't hide it.

[HarlemHeat37]

I'll believe Kobe can defend him when I see it..

Ariza is a SCRUB..he's a scrub..sure, he probably looked good in a few games earlier in the year..but he's been a scrub his entire career, and he looked like a scrub last night..

[semi-sentient]

Phil Jackson makes silly decisions at times. I don't know if you can call that "losing his touch," but when you have no starters on the floor against the best defensive team in the NBA one has to question his logic.

The Celtics are too good for that, so I expect Phil to get his head out of his ass and realize that we need either Gasol or Kobe in at all times.

[HarlemHeat37]

Jackson hasn't lost anything, he's still at worst, the 2nd best coach in the NBA..

I see it with Pop too..it's just them being stubborn when they make moves like semi-sentient pointed out..every coach has his moments like that, but the good outweighs the bad by a lot when we're talking about great coaches..

[GonzoLays]

I mean, Trevor Ariza? For real? A guy that hasn't played meaningful minutes in three months and you play him in the finals?

Even Phil commented on how bad the offense got when he stuck in Ariza. What did you expect, Phil?

Good grief.

[HarlemHeat37]

it isn't Phil's fault..he's been reading every message board in the last 3 months and believed the hype Ariza was getting from Laker fans..

[M.Balla]

Obviously I was talking about a full healthy Ariza. Ariza is not a All NBA Defensive Team player, nor the player Lakers fans drool about, but he's far from a scrub and he's the better defender on LAL roster to throw at Pierce.

[KyleCleric]

Obviously I was talking about a full healthy Ariza. Ariza is not a All NBA Defensive Team player, nor the player Lakers fans drool about, but he's far from a scrub and he's the better defender on LAL roster to throw at Pierce.

The best player on the lakers to throw at Pierce is Odom. Ariza is giving a good 40 or so pounds to Pierce and Pierce is still quicker than him. Odom at least has the length and size and enough quickness to bother Pierce some. No one else on the lakers can bother Pierce.