Rivers Edges Jackson for Coach of the Year

The panel of voters favored Doc Rivers as NBA coach of the year. The Laker players, surprise, favored Phil Jackson.

And Jackson?

“I don’t think P.J. cares about it much,” said Kobe Bryant, “to be honest with you.”

So, having Shaquille O’Neal, Bryant, a $6-million salary and a team that won 67 regular-season games does have its benefits. . . .

Rivers, a rookie coach who took a young and star-depleted Orlando Magic team to the brink of the playoffs, received the award after gathering 60 votes out of a possible 121.

Jackson, who won the award in 1996, was second with 53 votes, Charlotte’s Paul Silas received three and, Jackson’s personal choice, Utah’s Jerry Sloan, was the only other coach receiving more than one vote.

“He’s had a team at the top for the last decade,” Jackson said of Sloan, “he has never won coach of the year, and he’s taken a group of aging veterans, that everyone claimed was on their last legs three years ago and has again manufactured over a 50-win season. . . .

“For him to get only two votes is absolutely ludicrous.”

Jackson, though, said he recognized the job Rivers accomplished.

“Doc did a great job this year,” Jackson said. “You have to be really proud of the effort that he put forth and the effort he got from those players, and the media recognized that, saw that was a great job. . . .”

Said Glen Rice: “I thought for sure that he would get it, considering the turnaround that we’ve had here,” Rice said. “I don’t understand how he didn’t get it.

“But we can go out and get the championship for him.”

Which, of course, is the dilemma in a nutshell--Rivers overachieved with a group that had no chance to challenge for a title; Jackson was handed a gloriously talented, but underachieving team, and honed them into the No. 1 team in the league.

“The reality is we have [O’Neal, who] is a dominating player,” Jackson said. “I think [that] was the determining factor for the Lakers being a much better team this year. My fortunes and the fortunes of the Lakers have rested a lot in Shaq’s rejuvenation.”

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Coach of Year Voting

NBA coach of the year voting by sports writers and broadcasters:

Doc Rivers, Orlando: 60

Phil Jackson, LAKERS: 53

Paul Silas, Charlotte: 3

Jerry Sloan, Utah: 2

Pat Riley, Miami: 1

Scott Skiles, Phoenix: 1

Butch Carter, Toronto: 1