Exit Interview: Phil Jackson argues the Lakers need more speed
Lakers Coach Phil Jackson made it clear he didn't want a prolonged sentimental press conference summing up his storied coaching career.
But naturally, the press didn't oblige. Jackson shed light on a number of topics, ranging from why the team missed its chance of three-peating ("I never had a team who couldn't make adjustments and learn from mistakes"), his players expressing disappointment they didn't win him a 12th NBA title ("That's the way I anticipated it to be"), and what the Lakers need to address this off-season ("It needs to build speed. They need to have speed and get easy baskets").
Among some of the other highlights:
--What needs to happen for Jackson's relationship to be restored with Jerry Krause.
--How he convinced his players with the Bulls and Lakers to run the triangle offense.
--Why he was never close with Jerry Buss and Jim Buss.
--On his coaching career: "Talent wins. When you have talent to coach, it makes all the difference in the world. I've coached some of the best talent that's ever played the game."
On his weaknesses: "That wasn't always one of my strengths, figuring out how to make a last-second play. I felt execution was important. I probably failed to do some of the strategy things as a coach, but there were other things people were good at who were on my staff."
On what he's learned from his players: "How to be patient and generous, those are best things I learned from them. They're impetuous and impulsive kids a lot of times that come here. They are often strong-willed. That's what makes them good players. They taught me a lot."
RELATED:
Exit interview: Pau Gasol owns up to shortcomings in 2011 NBA playoffs
Exit interview: Lamar Odom temporarily detaching himself from the season
Exit interview: Kobe Bryant says Lakers' failed title run was a 'wasted year of my life'
-- Mark Medina
Email the Lakers blog at mgmedin@gmail.com
Photo: Phil Jackson at his exit interview. Credit: Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times
Why would you use that word? Argue? Who was he arguing with? Don't you just mean that's his opinion? I don't get that word choice.
Posted by: Josh | May 11, 2011 at 03:15 PM
The use of argue in this case is perfectly acceptable. It is the same as arguing a case in court. It simply means laying out the facts to make a point.
Posted by: Jon | May 11, 2011 at 03:54 PM
The Lakers gave up Trevor Ariza, who had speed, for Ron Artest, who has bulk. Ron may have won the finals against the Celtics last year, but he's a step slower and still has mental health issues.
Ariza was a perfect complement to Kobe, and could attack the basket and defend.
Other NBA oaches agreed that Laker chemistry was better with Ariza.
Posted by: martin | May 11, 2011 at 03:58 PM
more speed and less hollywood glitz...get nicholson et. al. regular seats and off the court and get back to business, get back to BASKETBALL...
Posted by: Dancing Scorpion | May 11, 2011 at 04:09 PM
He stayed one year too long, but what a legend!
Impossible to admire his achievements too much.
Posted by: NuggetsCountry | May 11, 2011 at 04:30 PM
Thanks for the good times Phil.
You won't be forgotten.
Posted by: Stephen J. Smith | May 11, 2011 at 04:40 PM
Thanks, Coach. Gonna miss you.
Posted by: Rocco | May 11, 2011 at 04:42 PM
Thank you Phil, you're the man!
Posted by: hiphopcop | May 11, 2011 at 04:53 PM
Thanks Coach Jackson! You will go down as thee greatest coach ever! Enjoy your retirement!
Posted by: SiR | May 11, 2011 at 05:52 PM
I call him Fraud Jackson, he is overrated. Shipped Sasha out of town when clearly the Lakers as a team did not have pure three point shooters. Kobe did not have his best shooting season, Brown, threw up bricks this year and was Phils Golden boy. Played way to many minutes. Artest is not the same as he was in Houston, and still never could run the triangle. Plus his best strength was playing on the block. When Bynum was hurt, Artest could of played inside when Gasol was out but Phil would not play Artest inside. Fraud should of never came back this year, I called it before the season started if he came back this team would be complacent and not get out of the west. Sasha helped off the bench. Remember how Sasha shot the ball and played when Kobe was out in a 5 game stretch to go 4-1 only to lose to Boston at hime getting outscored 14-2 to end the game. Phil was awful when teams made runs at the Lakers at the end of games or lets say a 17-2 run Dallas had in game one and Fraud Jackson calls no time out. Mitch is to blame to, we had no pt guard or perimeter players who could defend dribble penetration.
Posted by: ryan schmidt | May 11, 2011 at 06:22 PM
Thanks Phil, you will be missed, i was glad to watch you in your coaching career achievements with the Bulls and Lakers! You are the best to ever coach the game!
Posted by: Ant | May 11, 2011 at 06:49 PM
I liked the old DAYS, like SHOW TIME.
Posted by: Dancing Berry | May 11, 2011 at 07:06 PM
Phil shouldn't come back this year. Lakers won game 7 last year because Ron Artest, not Kobe, he can't take over the game by himself anymore. In the exit interview, Kobe said he is the one to shout first, then Gasol, Bynum has to fall in the line. That's the way Phil&Kobe want, they got it, Dallas Mavs blew out Lakers by 33 points in front of national tv. The championship team turned into the Washington Wizards of the NBA because the stubborn of Phil & Kobe. What ashamed !
Posted by: bluesky | May 11, 2011 at 07:20 PM
ou guys dont get! When Labron had a boo boo he sat out a few games. Kobe couldnt make a lay up or dunk against Dallas, which showed his foot/ankle was a lot worse than Kobe led on. The only other player who ever played with as many injuries was Iverson. LJ, Wade, Westbrook, Durrant, Anthony, none of these guys could even do half of what Kobe does with half of his injuries. Period! Add Gasol's knee, Lamar shoulder and leg, Blake played hurt, Barnes played hurt; and you wonder why the Lakers didnt play well against Dallas. Last year other than Bonehead Bynum they were all healthy except Kobe's finger and knee and still won it all.
Has everyone forgot, other than the Heat, in the regular season before Kobe's, foot/ankle issues, add that the last game of the year even Gasol got hurt but he played through it, and the bench injuries and they still beat every team out there in a series and this includes the 2 away games in Dallas. The bottom line, a older team doesnt always equate to a slower team but when you add all of the injuries, no kidding, they are not going to far in the playoffs and no wonder they folded in the fourth quarters. I guarantee this, a healthy Lakers team is another NBA Championship. Period!
Posted by: mb | May 11, 2011 at 10:33 PM
Yeah, we had this kid by the name of Jordan Farmar who was pretty freakin' quick, and we let him walk for a 31 y/o white guy. Granted, Farmar didn't always make the best decisions, however he provided a spark in some key games. Something Steve Blake will never be able to do. If it weren't for a no brainer trade for Pau Gasol, Kupchak's tenure in LA would be a complete failure as it's filled with poor decisions like this.
Posted by: TheBoogeyMan | May 12, 2011 at 08:53 AM
Farmar, Sasha, and Trevor were scorers.....Farmar and Trevor had quickness. We picked up good players who haven't yet learned the system. Our quickest bench player, Barnes, got a knee injury. Moving forward, Blake, Brown, and Barnes need to be able to make a consistent contribution to win. All the teams left in the playoffs have bench players who don't just give the ball to Kobe and hoist up bricks. Your inside game can only go so far without stretching the court with perimeter shooting. Look how dallas beat us...with their ability to score. We were built to play against boston, and got knocked out by a scoring team.
Posted by: DOC4daLakeShow | May 12, 2011 at 10:11 AM
Thank God he admitted, "That wasn't always one of my strengths, figuring out how to make a last-second play. I felt execution was important. I probably failed to do some of the strategy things as a coach, but there were other things people were good at who were on my staff."
I love Phil and his team philosophy. But he was truly inept in designing a last second play. Every time in an in-bounds play, when Kobe got the ball by mid court with 3 seconds left, I would ask myself, "That's what you drew up?!"
But I have to admit his best coaching was game 7 against Boston. His insisting the team to be patient and move the ball side to side rather than isolating a struggling Kobe. That was their biggest mistake when they got blown out in game 6 of 2008. This time they stuck with their offense in which their shots and opportunities eventually came.
Posted by: John | May 12, 2011 at 11:24 AM
Dr. Phil Jackson. Thanks for all the great years you gave us. You will most certainly be missed, but your legacy will never be forgotten. God Bless You and your Family. May You have the bet retirement and enjoyment. You most certainly earned it. Psalms 100 Jeremiah 29:11 St. John 3:16
Posted by: RICK | May 12, 2011 at 12:39 PM