duncan228
06-14-2009, 07:27 PM
Jackson tries relax Lakers in finals (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-nbafinals-notebook&prov=ap&type=lgns)
By Antonio Gonzalez
On the cusp of another NBA championship, Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson would rather have his team spend time in the Florida sun than wear themselves out with practice.
Jackson canceled the team’s Sunday morning shootaround at Amway Arena ahead of Game 5 of the finals against the Orlando Magic. Jackson, one win away from a record 10th title as a head coach, said about an hour before the game that he wanted his team relaxed.
“We’re just in the lazy river water park and going over to amusement parks,” he joked.
That’s not the only measure Jackson was taking to make sure players didn’t have jitters.
The “Zen Master” said he tries to quiet all the chatter and excitement in the locker room before the game. He said he was planning to take a few moments before Game 5 to get his team silenced instead of injecting some last-minute strategy, something he believes helps them focus.
“Sometimes we sit and be quiet for a few minutes before a game starts, just kind of settle down,” Jackson said. “Rather than filling up our brain with information, just kind of let it spin out a little bit and quiet down.”
Los Angeles entered Sunday night’s game leading the Magic 3-1, with Jackson tied with legendary Boston Celtics coach Red Auerbach for the most NBA titles. The Lakers were going for their 15th championship.
REMEMBERING RED: With Los Angeles coach Phil Jackson on history’s edge, the coach he can pass for most titles in NBA history has been mentioned all week.
Stories about Red Auerbach, the late Boston Celtics’ coaching legend, have circulated like the smoke from one his victory cigars.
Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was a 14-year-old hoops prodigy when he first met Auerbach, who led Boston to nine world championships. When the Celtics played in New York, they would practice at Abdul-Jabbar’s high school, Power Memorial, which was about 12 blocks from Madison Square Garden.
“I would watch Bill Russell practice and I tried to learn as much as I could,” he said. “Any time I got a chance to watch Wilt (Chamberlain) or Russell play, I would. I never missed a chance.”
Auerbach took a liking to Abdul-Jabbar, for obvious reasons. The ninth-grader was on his way to becoming one of the game’s greatest players, and Auerbach recognized talent as well as anyone.
Abdul-Jabbar was asked if Auerbach ever gave him any advice when he was a youngster.
“Yeah,” the NBA’s all-time scoring leader said. “He said I should come play for the Celtics.”
REF READING: Bob Delaney isn’t officiating in the NBA finals for the first time in nine years, sidelined by a late-season injury.
The veteran referee got some news to cheer him up during his recovery.
Delaney’s book, “Covert: My Years Infiltrating the Mob” was recently released in paperback, and the motion picture rights to the book were optioned by Appledown Films and Scott-Burns Productions.
Delaney has been an NBA referee for 22 years. His book tells the story of his years as a New Jersey state trooper working undercover to infiltrate organized crime.
FINAL ENCORE: Orlando didn’t give up on its “lucky charm” for the final home game of the season.
Giving one last wave to the crowd, 7-year-old Gina Marie Incandela sang the national anthem for Game 5 of the NBA finals on Sunday night. It was her seventh straight home playoff game in Orlando.
The Magic’s Game 4 loss to the Lakers was the first time this season they didn’t win when Incandela performed. They had been 7-0 on the season before that when she sang, prompting players and fans to anoint her their “lucky charm” and “secret weapon.”
Incandela’s mother, Michelle, said little Gina wasn’t bothered at all with news of the loss. Gina was diagnosed at an earlier age with a form of autism, and at one point her parents feared she wouldn’t be able to speak, let alone sing with such bravado.
WORTH THE PRICE: Lakers coach Phil Jackson said team owner Jerry Buss doesn’t usually come down on him when he draws a fine for criticizing officials.
“Sometimes he just says, ‘It’s money well spent,”’ Jackson said Sunday.
The NBA fined Jackson $25,000 for criticizing the officials during Game 4 of the finals. The league also penalized the Lakers $25,000 on Saturday for comments Jackson made during an interview with ABC between the first and second quarters of their 99-91 overtime victory Thursday.
Jackson said there were some “bogus” calls after the Lakers’ Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum each picked up two fouls in the first quarter.
By Antonio Gonzalez
On the cusp of another NBA championship, Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson would rather have his team spend time in the Florida sun than wear themselves out with practice.
Jackson canceled the team’s Sunday morning shootaround at Amway Arena ahead of Game 5 of the finals against the Orlando Magic. Jackson, one win away from a record 10th title as a head coach, said about an hour before the game that he wanted his team relaxed.
“We’re just in the lazy river water park and going over to amusement parks,” he joked.
That’s not the only measure Jackson was taking to make sure players didn’t have jitters.
The “Zen Master” said he tries to quiet all the chatter and excitement in the locker room before the game. He said he was planning to take a few moments before Game 5 to get his team silenced instead of injecting some last-minute strategy, something he believes helps them focus.
“Sometimes we sit and be quiet for a few minutes before a game starts, just kind of settle down,” Jackson said. “Rather than filling up our brain with information, just kind of let it spin out a little bit and quiet down.”
Los Angeles entered Sunday night’s game leading the Magic 3-1, with Jackson tied with legendary Boston Celtics coach Red Auerbach for the most NBA titles. The Lakers were going for their 15th championship.
REMEMBERING RED: With Los Angeles coach Phil Jackson on history’s edge, the coach he can pass for most titles in NBA history has been mentioned all week.
Stories about Red Auerbach, the late Boston Celtics’ coaching legend, have circulated like the smoke from one his victory cigars.
Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was a 14-year-old hoops prodigy when he first met Auerbach, who led Boston to nine world championships. When the Celtics played in New York, they would practice at Abdul-Jabbar’s high school, Power Memorial, which was about 12 blocks from Madison Square Garden.
“I would watch Bill Russell practice and I tried to learn as much as I could,” he said. “Any time I got a chance to watch Wilt (Chamberlain) or Russell play, I would. I never missed a chance.”
Auerbach took a liking to Abdul-Jabbar, for obvious reasons. The ninth-grader was on his way to becoming one of the game’s greatest players, and Auerbach recognized talent as well as anyone.
Abdul-Jabbar was asked if Auerbach ever gave him any advice when he was a youngster.
“Yeah,” the NBA’s all-time scoring leader said. “He said I should come play for the Celtics.”
REF READING: Bob Delaney isn’t officiating in the NBA finals for the first time in nine years, sidelined by a late-season injury.
The veteran referee got some news to cheer him up during his recovery.
Delaney’s book, “Covert: My Years Infiltrating the Mob” was recently released in paperback, and the motion picture rights to the book were optioned by Appledown Films and Scott-Burns Productions.
Delaney has been an NBA referee for 22 years. His book tells the story of his years as a New Jersey state trooper working undercover to infiltrate organized crime.
FINAL ENCORE: Orlando didn’t give up on its “lucky charm” for the final home game of the season.
Giving one last wave to the crowd, 7-year-old Gina Marie Incandela sang the national anthem for Game 5 of the NBA finals on Sunday night. It was her seventh straight home playoff game in Orlando.
The Magic’s Game 4 loss to the Lakers was the first time this season they didn’t win when Incandela performed. They had been 7-0 on the season before that when she sang, prompting players and fans to anoint her their “lucky charm” and “secret weapon.”
Incandela’s mother, Michelle, said little Gina wasn’t bothered at all with news of the loss. Gina was diagnosed at an earlier age with a form of autism, and at one point her parents feared she wouldn’t be able to speak, let alone sing with such bravado.
WORTH THE PRICE: Lakers coach Phil Jackson said team owner Jerry Buss doesn’t usually come down on him when he draws a fine for criticizing officials.
“Sometimes he just says, ‘It’s money well spent,”’ Jackson said Sunday.
The NBA fined Jackson $25,000 for criticizing the officials during Game 4 of the finals. The league also penalized the Lakers $25,000 on Saturday for comments Jackson made during an interview with ABC between the first and second quarters of their 99-91 overtime victory Thursday.
Jackson said there were some “bogus” calls after the Lakers’ Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum each picked up two fouls in the first quarter.