Jackson Costs $10 Million and About Four Victories

Someone asked Laker Coach Phil Jackson before the game with the Clippers to evaluate the job he has done, and he tried to be humble, which shocked me too.

“I think I’ve cost our team a lot of games,” and when he noticed me enthusiastically agreeing with him, he amended his remarks and said he cost the Lakers about four games.

He said there were times when he didn’t call a timeout, “which would have meant standing up,” I said, and he must have been in an unusually good mood, because he didn’t walk away.

There were times, he repeated, when he allowed his players to “dangle a little bit” on their own to teach them a lesson rather than call a timeout, and maybe do some coaching. As a result, it cost the Lakers about four games.

For the record, I continue to have confidence in the guy, and still believe one day Jackson will be a really good coach, but I checked the standings to see where the Lakers would be had he been willing to stand up more often.

Four more wins and the Lakers would be 45-33, tied with the Clippers and separated by only percentage points, but putting them in position to possibly play Denver in the first round -- and because of some crazy NBA rule, earning the home-court advantage.

That’s certainly better than placing seventh, as it appears they will, beginning the playoffs in Phoenix and getting waxed, and so the next question was pretty obvious: “Do you think you earned the $10 million Jerry Buss gave you?”

“Definitely,” Jackson said, while ending the news conference.

“Now I’ve got to go attend to my Buss,” he said while throwing an arm around Jeanie Buss, and I guess no matter how this season ends, Jackson will be OK.

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THE CLIPPERS, while already “backing” into a playoff spot, as Jackson sniped before the game, will finish fifth or sixth. Fifth, and they probably play Dallas and get run over. Sixth, and they play Denver and begin most likely at home.

“So how do you arrange it to finish sixth?” I asked Coach Mike Dunleavy.

“You are suggesting we throw games,” Dunleavy said.

“Do you know for a fact Corey Maggette is home right now and really injured?” I said, and I was kidding, I think, but if you have the chance to make the playoffs for the first time in forever, and either start at home against Denver or travel to San Antonio or Dallas....

“The best thing for us is to win every game,” Dunleavy said, and then the Clippers went out and lost to the Lakers, and I should’ve known they already had things under control.

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JOHN WOODEN called. He said he was not watching the Wooden Award show on CBS on Saturday, as the show’s host suggested to a national TV audience, but instead spent the day with his family.

Wooden, 95, and recently released from the hospital after being treated for diverticulitis, said earlier he would no longer support the Los Angeles Athletic Club, which sponsors the award, and would boycott the ceremonies because the club tried to dictate to others how his name might be used.

The LAAC left the impression with TV watchers and later with banquet guests that Wooden was not in attendance because he had been ill.

Wooden said he remains at odds with the LAAC, and when I asked if the dispute might still be resolved, he said, “It’s beyond that. You know my daughter, and it’s up to her.”

And then he laughed, because I know Nan, all right, and how protective she is of her father, and we talked some about that, and he laughed some more.

“She takes after her dear mother,” Wooden concluded with admiration.

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“I’M A little weak, but OK,” Wooden said when we talked about his health. “I lost a lot of blood and had some transfusions.... “

Sunday his blood was boiling, taking issue with LAAC President Steven Hathaway’s implication that the Wooden family wanted to take the Wooden Award away from the club.

“Where in the world is that coming from?” Wooden said. “We have no interest in taking the award from them and never talked about that.”

Then he got downright irritated, saying it has been said the Wooden family might be interested in getting some money out of this.

“That’s never, never been mentioned and is so far from the truth,” he said.

Duke Llewellyn started the Wooden Award in 1976 in honor of his good friend, and for the last 30 years Wooden has refused to be compensated for the use of his name.

Llewellyn is in the hospital, and Wooden said, “that’s too bad for Duke and I feel for Duke. But I don’t feel for [the LAAC].

“Some of this is very puzzling,” Wooden added. “We just wanted them to sign something saying my name could be used for the college basketball player of the year -- man and woman, as well as the [honor given to coaches] and nothing else.”

The LAAC continues to use Wooden’s picture in publications to promote the club, and Hathaway said he remains hopeful Wooden will attend next year’s event.

I remain hopeful Hathaway will get a clue, but I have a feeling we’ll both wind up disappointed.

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I CAUGHT Steve Nash being interviewed on ESPN, and asked about being the league’s MVP for a second straight year, he began naming off other qualified candidates.

He began with Dirk Nowitzki, then Chauncey Billups, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and finally Tim Duncan. The omission, of course, was obvious. But I have no idea what he has against Elton Brand.

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T.J. Simers can be reached at t.j.simers@latimes.com. To read previous columns by Simers, go to latimes.com/simers.