I like how Phil Jackson tried to motivate his team by saying that the Celtics have blown more 4th quarters than any other team in basketball.
How’s that working out for you Mr. Zen Master??
If the Lakers don’t win with Kobe in the lineup, I wonder if people’s opinion of Jackson as a great coach will suffer?
My grandmother could have coached the Bulls to the NBA championship and you have to wonder why this team hasn’t won more.
Possibly, but it’s hard to do that given his record.
He sure hasn’t made the necessary adjustments in this series though.
The Laker offense looks like shit.
He sure hasn’t made the necessary adjustments in this series though.
Agreed. Does nobody on the Lakers team realize that Kobe can’t do it alone?
I saw a few minutes of the game and at one point the Lakers called a time-out after Pierce scored again. As he walked over to the bench, Kobe yelled at Jackson “LET ME GUARD HIM!”. I had to laugh at that. He’s acting like a child.
I loved Jackson’s snarky remarks about the physical play and getting in people’s faces and how he does not coach that way?
Really Phil? When he played he was pretty much a talentless player noted for throwing elbows. You can dress him up, drench him in cologne, but Phil… You still stink and are fecal matter
Agreed. Does nobody on the Lakers team realize that Kobe can’t do it alone?
I cannot stand Kobe but have to admit that he was making some sick shots in the third quarter, scoring the team’s first 19 points while everyone else on the Lakers stood around. Try as he might to put it all on himself to win the thing, he doesn’t have the supporting cast or bench to get it done. It’s almost as if in the past two games the Celtics have let Kobe do his thing and focus on shutting everyone else down.
he doesn’t have the supporting cast or bench to get it done
I would question that. I think LA has a very good team. Kobe’s not giving them a chance to help him get it done. He’s got the ball and doesn’t give anyone else a chance. If they don’t pass to him immediately, he gets upset. It’s very strange. Gasol was having a very good series and has not had a chance to show his stuff the last 2 games. Granted, it could be because of the defense the C’s have been playing, but it just seems like the Lakers aren’t using Gasol properly.
The best players in the game make the others around them better. That’s one of the great things about Larry Bird. He made average players better. The way that Kobe plays, he forces everyone else to stand around to watch “The Kobe Show”. Amazing player and absolutely unbelievable shooter, but he’s not helping his teammates play better basketball. He’s actually making them be worse players because of the way he plays.
Agreed. Does nobody on the Lakers team realize that Kobe can’t do it alone?
I cannot stand Kobe but have to admit that he was making some sick shots in the third quarter, scoring the team’s first 19 points while everyone else on the Lakers stood around. Try as he might to put it all on himself to win the thing, he doesn’t have the supporting cast or bench to get it done. It’s almost as if in the past two games the Celtics have let Kobe do his thing and focus on shutting everyone else down.
You knew he would go off sooner or later.
T Allen and R Allen played pretty good containment defense, but there is not much you can do about fall away 30 ft jump shots.
I know it won’t happen, but I would like to see Wallace start the game and bang up Gasol right from the get go so he doesn’t get into any sort of groove.
Wallace’s post play defense is much more refined than Perkins, plus, he opens up the floor since they have to guard him at the 3 pt line, this allows Rondo and Pierce more space to operate.
Was Kobe shooting because his teammates were standing around, or were his teammates standing around because all Kobe was doing was shooting?
Don’t know why a team with 3 HOFer (maybe 4), that just beat the teams with the
first and second best records in the NBA can’t get any respect against the team with
the third best record in the NBA. The Cavs are a perfect example that 1 man does not
make a team. Kobe is far better than anyone one player on the Celtics, but the Celtics
have a team, and basketball is a team sport.
Ok, that was very painful to watch. Onto Game 7!!!
Lakers played much better defense and finally figured out how to pass the ball to someone other than Kobe. This is the team that showed up in Game 1. I just hope the Celtics can adjust as well as they did in Game 2.
Ok, that was very painful to watch. Onto Game 7!!!
Lakers played much better defense and finally figured out how to pass the ball to someone other than Kobe. This is the team that showed up in Game 1. I just hope the Celtics can adjust as well as they did in Game 2.
That was pathetic.
Celitcs win game 7 by 3.
I suppose the answer to the original question is, yes, Boston did have a chance – more so than I thought they had. But, in the end, Lakers won as they should have.
Can there be any doubt that Phil Jackson is the best NBA coach ever?
I suppose the answer to the original question is, yes, Boston did have a chance – more so than I thought they had. But, in the end, Lakers won as they should have.
Can there be any doubt that Phil Jackson is the best NBA coach ever?
WHAT? He had Mike and Scottie. then Kobe and Shaq, then Kobe, Gasol Artest. Phil might be the luckiest coach ever.
Yeah yeah. I know that’s the argument, but c’mon, the guy has got 11 freakin rings. Do you believe those teams with Jordan, Pippen, Shaq and Kobe would have won ALL of those without Jackson? No. I don’t.
Who is better if you don’t believe he is?
WOOOOHOOOOO!!!
Phil Jackson’s win the first game, win the series juju is stronger than the Celtics go to game seven, win the championship juju.
Sure, Jackson had some of the greatest players of the game, but there is no denying he earned those rings with his contributions.
Not sure what Kobe did besides lighting up the 3rd quarter of Game 5 (which the Lakers lost) to merit MVP, Gasol was the only Laker to play consistently well all series and Artest had the game of his life last night (they probably lose without him). I’m not disappointed with the loss though since given how inconsistent the Celtics were all season (blew many a big 4th quarter lead and got blown out at home by weaker teams like New Jersey and Houston), I don’t think anyone ever anticipated that they would eventually wind up still have a shot at winning Game 7 with under a minute left. Most of the predictions going into the playoffs were that they would advance to the second round and get clobbered by LeBron and the Cavs, so anything that happened since then has been played with house money. Ray Allen looked old last night and likely will not be back where he’s a UFA, most of the reserves are free agents now as well, and Doc Rivers has been hinting at retirement. A fun run while it lasted.
Thanks to the Celtics for an awesome series. Game 7 Lakers Celtics is already epic, with the added drama of 2008 to boot.
Kobe was clearly the MVP off the Lakers. Other players stepped up to play different roles on different nights, but Kobe held it together pretty much the whole series (ave 28+ per game), and when he couldn’t score like last night (even tho he scored 23), he rebounded (15) or got himself to the line (8 of 9 down the stretch). There was some chatter that even if LA lost, Kobe would’ve been picked as series MVP, although I find that very hard to believe, that would have to go to Rondo, I would think if Boston had won.
And oh yeah, Red Auerbach played with a bunch of third stringers. It’s not just the players. Ask Del Harris.
Ask Del Harris.
I was going to say the same.
Ask Del Harris.
I was going to say the same.
Just because you are a better coach than Del Harris does not mean you are the best ever.
You can’t make chicken salad out of chickenshit.
Through most of his championships Phil basically had the best player and in some cases arguably the two best players in the league on his team (Pippen/Jordan, Kobe/Shaq). Last night it took the game of Ron Artest’s life to squeak out a win at home in game 7 against a less talented old team without it’s starting center. Sounds more like the luckiest coach ever to me.