Jackson Getting the Last Laugh

By TIM BROWN

May 30, 2001 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

Phil Jackson coached all season and only two people called him “God,” at least publicly--former Laker Glen Rice and Milwaukee Coach George Karl.

That he escaped more serious derision--secular or otherwise--is curious, given that so few outside Jackson’s circle have resisted the occasional shot at the man who coached the first Michael Jordan and is coaching, apparently, the second as well, the real-life equivalent of hitting two lotteries in a decade.

All of which could mean they’re beginning to believe he really is God, in a hardwood sense, which wouldn’t make them laugh at all.

There is the usual scattered fire at Jackson, who won his 19th consecutive playoff series, passing Boston Celtic legend Red Auerbach for the record. What he got from Auerbach was something short of a congratulatory telephone call, something closer to a reference to Jackson’s good fortune, a common theme since Jackson won his first coaching title 10 years ago.

“Every coach that’s won a championship has had players, right?” Shaquille O’Neal said. “OK then, so whoever said that is a freakin’ idiot.”

When the sniper shots come, Jackson stands as if he were in Sacramento’s Arco Arena, the boos raining down, the corners of his mouth curling up, his hands stuffed in his pockets, casually, as if none of it can touch him.

Indeed, speaking of Jackson during the Western Conference semifinals, Sacramento Coach Rick Adelman scoffed, “I’ve learned to disregard what he says,” which also was Karl’s basic message a few months ago, when Jackson supposed the Bucks lacked the inside play to win a championship.

Turns out, Milwaukee could arrive a week from today to play for an NBA title, and don’t think that won’t get some play. No matter, though. Jackson will lean into that breeze as well, waft his incense, cross his legs, and watch his players play for an eighth title, the Lakers for their second in a row.

Contrary to his public posture, Jackson said after a light practice Tuesday, there are those he seeks to impress with his work.

“Well, Jeanie Buss,” he said, a grin rising from beneath his gray mustache. “Really. The boss’ daughter. I really want to please her.”

There was laughter then in the small room off the gym on Nash Street. He and owner Jerry Buss’ daughter have dated since last season. They often arrive together at Staples Center, and their relationship is hardly a secret, but Jackson has rarely talked about it, much less brought it up.

Any others?

“Well, my players,” he said. “I want the players to understand. I don’t tell them how hard we [coaches] work or how late we slave at films, but I want them to understand they’re the first and most primary reason we’re winning. The guys that are on the court are what counts. If they don’t have a way to get along together, no matter what we do strategically, all the preparation we do, you can be the greatest X and O guy in the world, nothing works. It’s all on them.”

His success in Los Angeles is based entirely on that, of course. O’Neal and Kobe Bryant learned to live together over the last two months, as they did in the final few months of last season, as they might again in the final few months of next season. Maybe they’ve matured, as Auerbach suggested earlier this week. If not, then that’s probably why Jackson is required, if not so widely appreciated.

“Look at the team they had before Phil got here,” said Horace Grant, the veteran forward who won three championships with Jackson in Chicago. “They basically had the same makeup, the same components. Without his leadership and the respect the guys here gave him, they wouldn’t have won. I don’t care how much talent they have. If you don’t have a very good basketball coach, you’re not going to win.

“When you’ve won so many championships and you walk with a little arrogance about you, a lot of coaches will be jealous. I mean, so many guys are jealous of Michael Jordan. So many guys are jealous of Shaq, jealous of Kobe around the league. So, it’s just jealousy, that’s all.”

Earlier in the season, a questioner began by suggesting Jackson had been blessed with considerable talent “for your coaching career,” and Jackson stared back in mock anger. “I coached in the CBA for five years!” he shouted, then laughed.

“There’s no doubt about it,” he said, “the fortunate coaching record I have is due to having teams that are ready to win and capable of winning. The ability of the Chicago Bulls to play at a vaulted level twice in the ‘90s is what I rode in a fortunate aspect of getting this job, probably by reputation and not by skill. Because people know that I really didn’t have the skill to have this job. But the reputation that allowed me to come here gave me credibility to work with these players.”

Not by skill, he said.

“That wasn’t why [I got the job],” he said. “It was more or less that I could deal with people as a coach that had managerial skills, which I demonstrated terrifically this year.”

And then he laughed.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

NBA Finals

All times PDT. TV: Channel 4

June 6 at Lakers, 6 p.m.

June 8 at Lakers, 6 p.m.

June 10 at Eastern champion, 4:30 p.m.

June 13 at Eastern champion, 6 p.m.

June 15 at Eastern champion, 6 p.m.*

June 18 at Lakers, 6 p.m.*

June 20 at Lakers, 6 p.m.*

* If necessary