Auerbach Sees Red Over Jackson’s Deal

Somebody separate Phil Jackson and Red Auerbach.

Tied at the top of the career list with nine NBA championships each, they’re now exchanging cross-country jabs.

The former Boston Celtic coach began the battle of barbs Wednesday by swiping at Jackson’s perceived penchant for coaching only teams that are championship-ready. Jackson added to the dialogue Thursday.

“Red and I, I think, have a mutual admiration,” he said, tongue in cheek. “That’s all I can say.”

Auerbach told reporters in Boston that Jackson “picks his spots” by taking can’t-fail assignments. Auerbach also badgered Jackson and New York Knick Coach Larry Brown for accepting jobs with teams that had woeful 2004-05 seasons.

“Phil Jackson, they’ve got a pretty good ballclub out there, but he’s got his built-in excuse,” Auerbach said. “You could have taken, I won’t say anybody, but you can take any knowledgeable coach and put them in those situations and they can’t do any worse. If L.A. doesn’t make the playoffs, it’s ‘building.’ If New York doesn’t make the playoffs, ‘We’re building,’ you know?”

Auerbach, 88, also expressed disappointment in not receiving get-well wishes from Jackson while being hospitalized three times over the last six months for an assortment of ailments.

Jackson said he sent flowers, but a mix-up with the hospital’s address prevented the bouquet from arriving until Auerbach checked out.

“It’s probably a good deal I didn’t send it, you know,” Jackson said, smiling. “They [the flowers] probably would have died right away when they walked in his room.”

*

The Lakers again have the league’s priciest seats, with an average cost of $79.21 per ticket, according to a report released by the Chicago-based Team Marketing Report Inc.

The Lakers raised prices by a relatively low average of 2% after missing playoffs last season -- Miami and Phoenix raised theirs by 10% -- but it was enough to keep the Lakers atop the other 29 teams. New York has the league’s second-most expensive ticket at $70.51. Golden State has the cheapest ticket at $23.82.

*

There’s no crying in basketball ... or is there?

Laker guard Sasha Vujacic was irritated after throwing a bad pass in the fourth quarter Wednesday against Denver, and, after getting yanked by Jackson, sat down and shielded his eyes by placing his hand across his brow. Some TV viewers thought he was crying.

“No crying, no crying,” Vujacic said Thursday. “I wasn’t mad or crying that I came out of the game. I was mad at myself because I had done the wrong thing in the wrong situation.”